Ron Torbert’s crew withheld the Chargers running back, Najee Harris, from play with an NFI/NON-FB injury/illness designation. He has been healing from a freak incident that happened on July 4 while training camp was getting underway. That misap, which was reportedly caused by fireworks, led to a “superficial” eye injury, according to his agent, Doug Hendrickson. Despite these challenges, general manager Joe Hortiz expressed optimism regarding Harris’s potential return for Week 1 of the regular season.
Throughout the year, Harris has been a constant on the sideline, joining his teammates while going through rehabilitation. On August 12, he took a big step forward. It was the first time he ran and went through drills this preseason. For a number of weeks now, he’s been training side by side with a new athletic trainer, focused on making a safe return back to form.
In a notable development, Harris was seen wearing a helmet and visor or dark glasses during practice, obscuring his eyes from observers. This step comes after a Snapchat post on August 6, where Harris’s right eye was swollen completely shut. From the beginning, coach Jim Harbaugh addressed the issues surrounding Harris’s health. He stressed that he’s not a physician and cannot discuss any individual medical information. He did concede in answer to reporters’ questions that Harris has indeed opened his eye successfully.
“Najee’s doing great, going through all the medical processes,” – Joe Hortiz
Even with Harris missing all of the preseason games, he has never missed a game during his NFL career. Harbaugh has remained noncommittal regarding Harris’s status throughout the preseason and often emphasizes the limitations of his role in providing injury updates. The league is mandating that teams send out injury reports as they go into Week 1. Defying all common sense, Harbaugh has consistently claimed to have no further details on Harris’s status.
As excitement grows for the beginning of the regular season, one thing that fans and analysts alike are watching closely is Harris’s recovery. General manager Joe Hortiz, for one, is still optimistic on his long-term readiness.
“When Najee’s ready to play, he’ll be ready to play,” – Jim Harbaugh
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