Former Alabama running back Najee Harris sustains eye injury during ‘fireworks mishap’
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Former Alabama running back Najee Harris was among those injured during a fireworks show on July 4, his agent told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Harris, per agent Doug Hendrickson, suffered a “superficial eye injury” that shouldn’t affect his status for the 2025 season, his first with the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees,” Hendrickson said. “Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season.”
The former Crimson Tide standout spent 4 seasons with Alabama, winning national championships in 2017 and 2020. His 26 rushing touchdowns and 30 touchdowns from scrimmage in 2020 led FBS, while his 1,466 rushing yards put him atop the SEC.
He was then a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021, totaling over 1,000 yards in each of his 4 seasons with the organization while appearing in the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Harris then became a free agent after the 2024 season, eventually signing a 1-year, $9.5 million deal with the Chargers.
He joins a L.A. team that went 11-6 in Jim Harbaugh’s first season before falling in the NFL Wild Card Round.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
