Najee Harris had an eventful first offseason with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The running back agreed to a one-year deal with the team in March, ending a four-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Projecting as the starter after his signing, Harris then watched as the Chargers invested a first round pick in North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton.
Suddenly, the two were battling for the privilege to lead the backfield. Then came the incident off the field.
Harris suffered a superficial eye injury on July 5 following a fireworks accident, his agent Doug Hendrickson said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports on July 10. The running back eventually landed on the non-football injury list (NFI), putting his Week 1 status in doubt, but was later activated.
The running back hasn’t missed a game in his career and that won’t start in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Harris is ready to go, but fans still haven’t seen his face since the accident. That changed on Friday night in Brazil. Here’s a look.
Najee Harris eye
Harris was typically seen donning sunglasses or a dark visor upon his return to the Chargers. For the first time since the injury, we got a look at Harris’ face on the field:
Cameraman Marshawn Lynch was giving advice to Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris on the sideline 📸 pic.twitter.com/21mRdhXj40
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 6, 2025
Harris was seen alongside Omarion Hampton speaking with former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch during the second quarter of the matchup vs. the Chiefs.
In late August, Harris was photographed with the rest of the 2025 Chargers team (players, coaches and personnel). Nothing seemed amiss with his visage then.
The mystery surrounding the extent of the injury only grew with each passing day. Harris’ decision to continue wearing sunglasses or the visor continued to pique the curiosity of fans.
That curiosity likely stems from Jason Pierre-Paul’s famous accident in 2015 that cost him two fingers. The former New York Giant and Tampa Bay Buccaneer had to wear a club wrap on his hand in order to play.
Pierre-Paul’s injury was noticeable and highlighted the danger of fireworks. Harris appears to have been lucky in avoiding a much worse fate.
What happened to Najee Harris?
Harris suffered a superficial eye injury as a result of a fireworks accident.
The incident, which happened in Antioch, California, occurred at around 12:18 a.m. on Saturday, July 5, according to a Facebook post from Antioch police.
Multiple people were injured in the explosion, with police saying that some were treated at the scene and others were hospitalized.
“This is an unfortunate accident, and our thoughts are with the family and all those affected during this difficult time,” police wrote in the Facebook post. “We ask for patience and privacy for the families as the investigation continues.”
Harris was seeing doctors at Stanford Hospital, according to general manager Joe Hortiz, and was later placed on the NFI list.
The Chargers eventually activated Harris, setting him up to play in Week 1.
Harris wouldn’t discuss specifics of the accident, but did express to reporters that his vision was not impacted.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Najee Harris shows eyes for first time since fireworks accident
