The Los Angeles Chargers dealt with a big-time injury to their backfield last season after Najee Harris tore his Achilles. He tore it after collapsing on a play-action play in the second quarter of their 23-20 win against the Broncos in Week 3. The Chargers turned to Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal, but Harris being out hurt their depth and was one of the reasons why their offense struggled at times.
After the Achilles tear, Harris' agent, Doug Hendrickson, posted a video on social media of the progress that Harris has made since tearing it at the end of September. He was already running on a treadmill, and it had been 5 months since the injury. Usually, these types of tears take 9 to 12 months to fully recover from, so this was a major sign of progress for Harris and the Chargers.
Hendrickson's post on X read, “Najee Harris looking OUTSTANDING 5 months post op from Achilles. Running with ease at 15 mph.”
“It's unfortunate … he was really playing well,” Head coach Jim Harbaugh said at the time of the injury. “… Najee will be back, I have no doubt about it.”
The Achilles tear also came after Harris opened the season on the non-football injury/illness list ahead of training camp after a July 4 fireworks mishap that damaged an eye. He missed all the Chargers' training camp practices but was ready for the beginning of the 2025 season.
It is also worth noting that Harris had never missed a game in his NFL career, and his durability is one reason he was attractive to the Chargers. This injury was a huge shock because of that.
He rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His running style is one Harbaugh covets, and having Harris to start the season was seen as crucial to how good the Chargers could have been in 2025.
It is also worth noting that Harris is an upcoming free agent after playing last season on a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Chargers. He could always decide to come back to the Chargers, but the backfield will be more crowded thanks to the emergence of Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal.
