Running back Najee Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers are moving on this offseason. But that won’t happen before another discussion about the team’s training facilities.
Harris raved about the training room and facilities for his new team, the Los Angeles Chargers, on March 14. While it’s customary for players to speak highly of their new organizations, Steelers Nation couldn’t help but see Harris’ comments also as a poor reflection on the team that drafted him.
“It’s a great weight room, first of all. Even the facilities, is all great things,” Harris said of the Chargers in his introductory press conference. “There’s a lot of great things they provide here to take advantage of.
“I was telling them, it’s not like this everywhere, man. This is a special thing right here. It reminds me of college at Alabama, you know, all the resources that they have. So just getting the chance to take advantage of those opportunities is a blessing.
“It’s not like this everywhere. It’s not. Just happy to be here.”
Some Steelers media and fans interpreted Harris’ remark as a slight at Pittsburgh. On social media, former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex summarized what he saw the running back was strongly suggesting on March 14.
“Code for they have nice & shiny things in their facility,” Essex tweeted. “Pittsburgh doesn’t.”
Najee Harris Throws Shade at Steelers?
Some in Steelers Nation will see Harris’ remark as a diss at Pittsburgh. It’s important to note, though, that Harris is typically very forthright with the media.
So, one could also strongly argue Harris was just being honest in his assessment of NFL training facilities. After all, the running back didn’t even mention the Steelers in his answer.
Still, his “it’s not like this everywhere” remark is pretty laughable. The only NFL team Harris has ever played for is the Steelers.
According to Harris, the Steelers weight room and other facilities apparently don’t even compare to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Yes, Alabama is a premiere college program. But the Steelers should still find it super embarrassing that they can’t stack up against a non-professional facility.
Harris Addresses Steelers Facilities Following Poor 2025 NFLPA Report Card
Why is all of this important? Well, Harris’ NFL facilities remarks came a few weeks after the Steelers again scored poor grades in the annual NFLPA report card.
Overall, the Steelers finished 28th out of 32 teams in the report card, which is based on answers from a player survey. Pittsburgh received a C-plus grade in training room, C-plus in weight room and a D grade in locker room.
The Steelers also had a C-minus grade in strength coaches, which was ranked last in the league.
The Steelers improved in some areas of the report card, including treatment of families. The improvement in that grade came from the team beginning to offer game-day daycare services.
Still, the Steelers only scored a C-minus grade in treatment of families, up from an F in 2024.
Harris’ comments will only add fuel to the narrative that the Steelers aren’t investing in their player’s needs. Steelers ownership received a D grade in the 2025 report card.
On Jan. 28, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t specifically address the team’s weight room on his podcast. But he talked about the organization’s smaller than average coaching staff.
“Expand the strength and conditioning staff; expand the training staff. Expand equipment staff, all that stuff. But that’s money,” Roethlisberger said. “And we all know that the Rooneys aren’t putting a lot of extra into that stuff.
“That’s just, they’ve never done it that way. So, we don’t expect that to change.”
Part of the issue with the Steelers’ facilities could be that they share it with the Pitt Panthers football team. Acrisure Stadium is one of the few places which is home to a college and NFL team.
Still, that doesn’t change the fact the 2025 NFLPA report card concluded the Steelers need renovations and significant upgrades to many of their facilities.
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