The Los Angeles Chargers became the first NFL team in 2025 to hold a full-squad practice at training camp on Thursday. Running back Najee Harris did not participate.
Instead, the Chargers placed the former Alabama All-American on the non-football injury list. Because Harris is on active NFI, he can start practice as soon as he is ready. But he cannot practice as long as he carries that designation.
Harris sustained an eye injury in a fireworks mishap during an Independence Day celebration.
“Naj is here,” Los Angeles coach Jim Harbaugh said on Thursday. “He’s in meetings. It’s just great to have him. A lot of gratitude that he’s here. I’m the age of being a parent. I got kids that are these guys’ age, so just the feeling of having everybody back under the same roof is a good one.”
Harbaugh pounded his heart as he said “the feeling.”
On July 11, Harris’ agent issued a statement that said the running back had “sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season.”
The Antioch (California) Police Department issued a statement about the incident:
“On July 5, at approximately 12:18 a.m., the Antioch Police Department dispatch center received multiple calls reporting an explosion on the 2200 block of Spanos Street. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered the aftermath of an explosion caused by fireworks.
“Antioch PD officers, ConFire and AMR provided medical aid and triaged the patients. Several victims had already left the scene before the first responders’ arrival and were treated at local hospitals.”
On Wednesday, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said the team’s training staff had followed closely the treatment that Harris had received before reporting for training camp.
Hortiz said Los Angeles would “let (Harris) get himself ready, then he’ll get out there.”
Los Angeles overhauled its running-back depth chart during the offseason by letting its top two rushers from 2024, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, leave, signing Harris as a free agent and drafting North Carolina ball-carrier Omarion Hampton in the first round on April 24.
Harris joined the Chargers in March for a one-year, fully guaranteed $5.25 million contract after playing his first four NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After joining the Steelers from Alabama’s undefeated CFP national-championship team for the 2020 season as the 24th choice in the 2021 NFL Draft, Harris ran for at least 1,000 yards every season, climbed to sixth in rushing yards on the franchise’s career list and became the 10th player in NFL history with at least 4,300 rushing yards and 180 receptions in his first four years.
Hampton ran for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns in the past two seasons for North Carolina.
“He’s been attacking it, hitting it hard,” Harbaugh said of Hampton. “We’ve still got some days before we’re in pads, but I think he’s going to be even better in pads. Looked good without them. He’s well-trained and ready to roll.”
The Chargers will play in the first game on the NFL’s preseason schedule. Los Angeles will take on the Detroit Lions in the annual Hall of Fame Game on July 31 in Canton, Ohio. The Chargers also will play the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 10, Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 16 and San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 23 in preseason games.
