The Pittsburgh Steelers once again found themselves exiting the postseason early, as running back Najee Harris reflected on the team’s struggles following a 28-14 Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Despite high hopes for the 2024 season, Pittsburgh’s season ended with a disappointing five-game losing streak, including Saturday’s defeat, where they allowed a staggering 299 rushing yards.
Most concerning of all was the fact that the Steelers played with poor effort throughout the majority of the game.
For Harris, who recorded 58 yards on nine touches in the game, the loss underscored deeper issues.
The running back, now four years into his NFL career, voiced concerns about the team’s focus amid external criticism.
“There’s stuff that I just don’t wanna say on camera. There’s some [things] that we’ve talked about on the team that I feel like we need to do,” Harris said.
“But, you know, really just staying together as a team. Not listening to too much of the outside noise and outside attention. You know, that’s the fastest way to break up a team.”
Harris speculated that the team’s struggles down the stretch may have been influenced by media narratives.
“I think that, on this losing streak, I think [we were] paying attention too much of what the media say rather than just doing what we gotta do,” he said.
The loss marked Pittsburgh’s fourth Wild Card defeat in five seasons and continued a postseason drought that has lingered since 2016.
Despite consistently finishing at .500 or better under head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have been unable to translate regular-season success into playoff victories.
Many frustrated fans feel there is a ceiling that exists with Tomlin’s teams. While they routinely finish with records of .500 or better, they haven’t be a true Super Bowl contender since the days of Big Ben.
Harris, who surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth consecutive season, has yet to see significant postseason production.
In his three Wild Card losses, he’s combined for just 83 rushing yards, each game ending in a double-digit defeat.
Safety DeShon Elliott echoed Harris’ frustrations and acknowledged the team’s inability to maintain momentum.
“I know that in the past we’ve played well in the beginning of the season, and then we just sh*t the bed at the end, and same sh*t happened this year,” Elliott said after the loss to Baltimore.
“Closed the season out on a five-game losing streak, including the playoffs. So we got to figure out what’s the problem. We got to figure out how to get better. We got to figure out how to get past that point.”
Amid growing outside speculation, the Steelers appear unlikely to make major coaching changes. However, adjustments may still be needed to address the team’s recurring struggles in high-stakes games.
Quarterback Russell Wilson, a pending free agent, has expressed interest in returning to Pittsburgh, signaling potential stability at the position. However, many Steelers fans are done with Wilson and hope the team moves on from him.
Meanwhile, Harris dismissed any thoughts about his own future as his rookie contract concludes. “I haven’t given that much thought at all,” he said.
As Pittsburgh enters another offseason of uncertainty, the team’s leaders face the challenge of identifying and resolving the issues that have plagued them in recent years.
What are your thoughts on the situation in Pittsburgh?
Although Tomlin most likely isn’t going anywhere – would a change at the top be best for all parties???
