Najee Harris, the Pittsburgh Steelers' running back, is entering a crucial season. With the team declining his fifth-year option, 2024 could be his final year with the Steelers, making it imperative for him to perform at his peak. To achieve this, Harris has embarked on a weight loss plan, aiming to enhance his explosiveness and overall performance.
The Motivation Behind the Weight Loss
Several factors are driving Harris's decision to slim down. The Steelers' decision to decline his fifth-year option has undoubtedly fueled his desire to prove his worth and secure a new contract, either with the Steelers or on the open market. As his trainer, Josh Scott, noted, "It's all fueling his fire to have an even better season than last year and prove a lot of people wrong."
Furthermore, while Harris has consistently surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in each of his three seasons since being drafted in 2021, his average of 3.9 yards per carry indicates a need for improved efficiency. A lighter frame could potentially translate to greater agility and explosiveness, addressing this area for improvement.
The Details of the Weight Loss Plan
Harris's weight loss plan primarily focuses on diet. According to Scott, Harris has been "extremely clean -- almost obsessively clean -- with his diet" since the end of the 2023 season. This disciplined approach has resulted in a weight loss of approximately seven pounds, bringing him down from his listed weight of 242 pounds to around 235. Some reports even suggest he looks as light as 220 pounds.
Scott emphasized that the weight loss is not just about shedding pounds but also about improving body composition. He described Harris as "much more durable, much more nimble dropping that maybe eight or 10 pounds, whatever it was, of body fat but then replacing some of that with some good, lean tissue." This suggests that Harris is focusing on maintaining his strength and power while enhancing his agility and speed.
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The Potential Impact on Performance
The weight loss plan is expected to have several positive impacts on Harris's performance.
Increased Explosiveness and Agility
One of the primary goals of the weight loss plan is to enhance Harris's explosiveness. While he has been a consistent and durable player, he has not been known for his breakaway speed. He only has three 30+ yard runs since entering the league in 2021 and just 15 runs of 20 yards or more. By shedding weight and improving his agility, Harris hopes to become a more dynamic and elusive runner, capable of making bigger plays.
Craig Wolfley, a team analyst and color commentator, drew a comparison to Le'Veon Bell, noting that Bell dropped weight at the suggestion of Mike Tomlin before being drafted and went on to become a "terrific running back." While Harris and Bell have different playing styles, the underlying principle remains the same: reducing weight can lead to increased agility and explosiveness.
Maintained Durability and Power
While explosiveness is a key focus, it is equally important for Harris to maintain his durability and power. He is known for his bruising running style and his ability to make plays between the tackles. Scott's emphasis on replacing lost body fat with lean tissue suggests that Harris is working to preserve his strength and power while becoming more agile.
Harris's durability has never been a question, as he has not missed a start in his career. Maintaining this durability while enhancing his explosiveness would make him an even more valuable asset to the Steelers.
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Improved Efficiency
Ultimately, the goal of the weight loss plan is to improve Harris's overall efficiency. By becoming more agile and explosive, he hopes to increase his yards per carry and make a greater impact on the Steelers' offense. With a contract year on the horizon, Harris is determined to prove that he can be a dominant running back in the NFL.
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