Mike Tomlin addresses Najee Harris' omission from Steelers captains
The Pittsburgh Steelers named their team captains for the 2023 season Monday, running back Najee Harris notably omitted from the announcement.
Second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett will captain the offense, while veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and edge rusher T.J. Watt will represent the defense, with safety Miles Killebrew gettin the nod on special teams.
With only one player being voted offensive captain, that being Pickett, head coach Mike Tomlin said it says more about Pickett being given such responsibility than Harris outright being left out. Harris previously served as one of five captains in 2022.
“[Pickett] being the lone captain on offense is obviously no disrespect to the leadership of others, but probably more reflection of everyone’s feel of his growth and development, not only as a player but as a leader within this collective, the team’s view of him and his growth and development,” Tomlin said Tuesday, via Steelers Wire.
Pickett, Pittsburgh’s first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, has been voted as a captain for the first time. Heyward, entering his 13th season with the Steelers, is a defensive captain for the ninth season running (2015-23). Watt takes the captaincy for the third time in his career, with Killebrew earning it for the second consecutive season.
“I never take it for granted,” Heyward said, via the team’s website. “Every year I am appreciative to be voted by these men to represent them. It’s never about me. It’s about the group. Being a captain should be a serviceable job where you represent everybody in this locker room and outside this locker room who claim to be a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I think we have a lot of work to do. But we have the right captains to get the job done.”
Najee Harris hoping for bounce back campaign in 2023
After earning a Pro Bowl selection during his rookie season, Harris took a step back this past season. The 25-year-old rushed for 1,034 yards on 3.8 yards per carry and seven touchdowns. He added 41 receptions for 229 yards and three scores through the air.
Harris sustained a Lisfranc injury during training camp which he said impacted his effectiveness.
“My conditioning wasn’t the best because I missed almost four weeks ’cause of my Lisfranc and I couldn’t run,” Harris said on SiriusXM NFL Radio last month, via Steelers Depot. “So, the conditioning was not at its best. The details were not at the best either.”