There were many great performances around the NFL in Week 17 from former Alabama players including 227 yards and three touchdowns from Mac Jones for the Patriots or 13 tackles from CJ Mosley for the Jets, but the best may have just been saved for last with Najee Harris on Monday Night Football.
The Steelers' rookie running back ran for a career high 188 yards and had 206 total yards from scrimmage in Pittsburgh's 26-14 win over Cleveland, earning Harris the first BamaCentral Crimson Tide Pro Athlete of the Week for 2022.
(Check out everything former Crimson Tide players did in the NFL in Week 17.)
His lone touchdown on the night, a 37-yarder late in the fourth quarter, put an exclamation point on the win for the Steelers in likely the last home game for legendary Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Rothlisberger.
With the 188 rushing yards, Harris set the Steelers' franchise record for single season rushing yards by a rookie with 1,172 yards on the season with one regular season game to go. The 1,172 yards puts the first-round pick in the top four of the NFL in total rushing yards this season only behind Johnathan Taylor, Joe Mixon and Nick Chubb.
As a rookie, Harris now has the most offensive touches of any player in the NFL this season. With the win against the Browns behind the major offensive effort from Harris, the Steelers stay in contention for the playoffs with a huge matchup looming with the Ravens on Sunday.
More must-reads: