Najee Harris sets expectations for Steelers in 2023: ‘We’re gonna surprise a lot of people’

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris likes what he has seen from his team so far. The third-year star thinks the team’s experience is continuing to grow on the offensive side after a focus on that side of the ball in the past few seasons.

“Our experience is getting better,” Harris said during a press conference with the media last week. Obviously, we got the rookies coming in but we are better than what we were when we first got here, X’s and O’s wise. This is my third year. It’s a lot of guys third years. Dan (Moore), Pat (Freiermuth). You got (George Pickens) being on his second year, but he’s quickly learning. You got all these guys who’s coming in. They’ve really bought in to what we are going to be like and who we are going to be.”

The 2022 Steelers offense was led by a bunch of young players. Quarterback Kenny Pickett was a rookie. Harris was the team’s leading rusher for the second straight year with 1,034 rushing yards. Rookie running back Jaylen Warren was second on the team in touches with 105 and 593 total yards from scrimmage. Rookie wideout George Pickens was second on the team in receptions while second-year tight end Pat Freiermuth was second on the team in receiving yards.

The Steelers missed the playoffs last season with a 9-8 record. It was the third time Pittsburgh had missed the postseason in the previous five seasons.

But the Steelers have never finished with a losing record under head coach Mike Tomlin. The last time the team has a losing record was in 2003 when the Bill Cowher-led team finished at 6-10.

The franchise then drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the following draft and finished the 2004 season with a 15-1 record. But Pittsburgh lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.

Harris was a part of a playoff team during his rookie year in 2021. He is expecting the team to make a run back towards the postseason this year.

“I think we’re gonna surprise a lot of people,” Harris said. “I’m excited just looking at it from when we first started last year we’re a lot better now in all types of ways, in execution, in people coming out and even staying out longer. I think they get it now. The standard is actually being the standard out here.”

The post Najee Harris sets expectations for Steelers in 2023: ‘We’re gonna surprise a lot of people’ appeared first on On3.