On Sunday, as the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos, running back Najee Harris went down with a non-contact injury. Immediately, fans started to fear the worst: a blown knee, a broken bone, something that could happen without anyone even touching Harris.
Once replays started to roll out on social media, fans' fears were confirmed as they could see a ripple course up Harris's calf, looking exactly like the numerous torn Achilles that professional athletes have suffered over the years.
After he went down, Harris had to be carted off the field, and Los Angeles head coach Jim Harbaugh later confirmed that it was an Achilles injury, but that imaging still had to be completed to determine the extent of the damage.
Here is Chargers RB Najee Harris suffering an Achilles injury before he was carted off: pic.twitter.com/0rV5YQYU1K
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 21, 2025
Before leaving the game, Harris had earned 28 yards on six carries. Before he ever put on powder blue as a Charger, he made himself known in the NFL over his four-year tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Harris was a star running back for the Crimson Tide in college, playing at Alabama from 2017 through 2020, securing two National Championships and the Doak Walker Award. He was a unanimous All-American and member of the first-team All-SEC roster in 2020.
The now professional running back earned 3,832 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns on the ground, with an additional 781 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air.
Since heading to the next level as the No. 24 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, he has earned 4,373 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on 1,112 carries. He has 1,174 receiving yards for six more touchdowns, as well as one completed pass for four yards.