Najee Harris

Najee Harris is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Harris is from the San Francisco Bay Area. One of five children of a single mother, he grew up in several troubled neighborhoods, including time in a homeless shelter when he was in middle school before the family moved to Antioch.

Harris was selected 24th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the first running back selected. On May 25, 2021, Harris signed his rookie contract with the Steelers, worth $13.1 million including a $6.9 million signing bonus over 4 years.

Harris graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Consumer Services in 2020. During his last college football season, Harris began celebrating touchdowns by striking the iconic World Cup pose of Megan Rapinoe. He mentioned finding Rapinoe's views on feminism and standing for her beliefs, as "motivating" and "inspirational".

In January 2019, Harris signed with "Beast Mode Marketing", the marketing agency of former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch.

On the day of the 2021 NFL Draft, Harris declined the invitation to the event in Cleveland, Ohio. Opting instead to host a party for the kids served at Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, the homeless shelter he spent his childhood at. He then gathered with family and friends to watch the draft at a restaurant owned by Lynch, in Richmond, California.

In 2021, Harris founded his own Nonprofit organization, called “Da’ Bigger Picture Foundation”. It provides assistance to families impacted by homelessness and hunger.