Najee Harris Suffers Eye Injury in July 4 Fireworks Incident, Expected Back for Chargers’ Season
Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris sustained a minor eye injury during a Fourth of July fireworks accident in Antioch, California. According to his agent Doug Hendrickson, the injury was deemed “superficial,” and Harris is expected to fully recover in time for the upcoming NFL season.
The incident reportedly injured multiple attendees, with one person hospitalized after losing fingers, per local authorities. Though shaken, Harris avoided serious harm, offering relief to Chargers fans counting on him to revive the team’s struggling ground game.
Signed to a one-year deal in March, Harris brings a much-needed boost to the Chargers’ backfield. A four-time 1,000-yard rusher with the Steelers, his bruising running style perfectly fits head coach Jim Harbaugh’s offensive philosophy.
Should Harris be sidelined at any point, rookie first-round pick Omarion Hampton would be next in line—a high-pressure situation for a newcomer. The Chargers have been in search of a dominant rusher since Melvin Gordon’s 2017 season, and despite Harbaugh’s vow to establish a powerful run game, L.A. ranked below average in rushing yards last year.
The team has yet to issue a public statement, but all eyes will be on Harris as training camp approaches, hoping the fireworks scare ends with no lingering effects.
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Photo Credit: dean bertoncelj / Shutterstock.com
