In their 27-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves at a critical juncture in the third quarter.
Down by seven and driving deep into Eagles territory, running back Najee Harris fumbled the ball, giving Philadelphia a golden opportunity to capitalize.
The Eagles quickly turned that turnover into a touchdown, digging the Steelers into a deeper hole.
What seemed like a missed chance ended up being a turning point in the game.
Although the video clearly showed Harris fumbling the ball, the stat sheet bizarrely credited the fumble to Russell Wilson.
I can’t believe Najee fumbled this ball. Worst Steelers fumble since Mendenhall in the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/GUS4RwovIU
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) December 15, 2024
When Harris discovered this on Wednesday, he was stunned. Without hesitation, he took full responsibility for the costly mistake.
“I wasn’t? That’s crazy,” Harris said, via Steelers Now’s Aaron Becker. “The stat sheet may say that, but nobody believes that. That was all on me. I don’t know why they put that on Russ. That was all on me.”
#Steelers RB Najee Harris was SHOCKED to find out QB Russell Wilson was credited with the fumble vs. the #Eagles.
“I wasn’t? That’s crazy. … The stat sheet may say that. Nobody believes that. That was all on me. I don’t know why they put that on Russ.” pic.twitter.com/4E0jwDVitc
— Aaron Becker (@Aaron_M_Becker) December 18, 2024
Over his four years in the NFL, he’s been known for his reliability in avoiding turnovers.
This season, he’s carried the ball 229 times without fumbling, and he’s focused on continuing that streak, especially after Sunday’s mishap.
The Steelers are right to depend on Harris once again this week against the Ravens. In their first meeting, Harris rushed for 63 yards and added four catches for 30 yards.
He’s been a vital part of the Steelers offense all season, and he’s on pace for his fourth straight 1,000-yard rushing season to kick off his NFL career.
