The Los Angeles Chargers have announced the first significant update on Najee Harris, nearly two weeks after the Pro Bowl running back sustained an eye injury in a July Fourth fireworks incident that sent multiple people to the hospital.
On July 17, the team placed Harris on the Active/Non-Football Injury list. The designation is used for players who are injured outside of football activities or dealing with long-term illnesses.
The Chargers can activate Harris off the active/NFI list at any time during training camp or preseason. However, if Harris isn’t activated prior to roster cuts on August 27, he would move to the reserve/NFI list and be forced to miss the first four games of the regular season.
Harris’ absence would be felt immediately if he’s inactivate to start the year. The Bolts face all three division rivals in the first three weeks of the season. Their opening kickoff will be in São Paulo, Brazil against the reigning AFC champion Chiefs, followed by games against the Raiders and Broncos in Weeks 2 and 3.
Optimism Mixed With Uncertainty
Members of the Chargers’ front office, as well as Harris’ agent, have expressed optimism that the recent signee will return in time to start the regular season.
“Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season,” agent Doug Hendrickson said in a July 10 statement, per Adam Schefter.
While Harris’ placement on the active/NFI list is no surprise (GM Joe Hortiz announced the plan the day before the decision was made), Chargers’ personnel have yet to meet with Harris in person since the accident occurred, fueling uncertainty over the severity of the injury.
“We haven’t seen him yet, our doctors haven’t seen him yet,” Hortiz said. “He’s finishing up his doctor’s appointments, he’ll report today. We’ll get our eyes on him.
“Surface-level injury, obviously around the eye, so I’m sure there’s bruising and all that. But we haven’t seen him,” Hortiz added. “We’ll get more clarity when he gets here and our doctors see him, but we’re in communication with the doctors there.”
Who’s Up Next in the Chargers’ Backfield
If Harris is unable to start the year, the Chargers will heavily rely on first-round rookie Omarion Hampton. The dynamic, 4.4 runner amassed 3,565 rushing yards and 36 rushing touchdowns in his three-year UNC career. Hampton was the second running back taken in the 2025 NFL draft, following Heisman runner-up (and new divisional foe) Ashton Jeanty.
Beyond Hampton, the backfield becomes suspect. Other rostered running backs include Kimani Vidal, who averaged 3.6 yards per carry in his rookie season, and Hassan Haskins, who posted a paltry 3.1 yards per carry for the Bolts last year, albeit on limited touches.
The running game looms especially large in Los Angeles. The Chargers had the 12th most rushing attempts in the NFL last season, and coach Jim Harbaugh has been a vocal ground-and-pound proponent at every stop in his collegiate and professional coaching career.
After signing a one-year deal worth up to $9.25 million, Harris was projected to carry much of the workload in his first season with the Chargers. He gained over 1,000 rushing yards in each of his four seasons with the Steelers and never saw fewer than 250 carries. Upon the offseason signing, Chris Roling of Sports Illustrated described Harris as “a big bully of a bruising back” and a “Jim Harbaugh guy.”
While signs indicate Harris will return by Week 1, his placement on the active/NFI list keeps a question mark hovering over his first snap in powder blue.
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