The Indianapolis Colts handed the Pittsburgh Steelers their first loss on Sunday after a 27-24 Week 4 result. Some players from both teams engaged in some competitive trash-talking, like running back Najee Harris flipping off the fans at Lucas Oil Stadium. However, the Colts earned the right to talk back by winning, and linebacker Zaire Franklin took the chance to roast Harris back. For his part, though, the Steelers running back took the roasting in stride like a good sportsman.
Franklin took to X, formerly Twitter to respond to Harris, quoting another user who said, “yet yall owned [Harris], more fingers up then ypc.”
“Kid is soft. 84 run harder,” the Colts linebacker posted, referring perhaps to the Steelers' Cordarrelle Patterson.
After the game, Najee Harris responded to getting roasted, while talking to Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor of ESPN.
“[Franklin's] a great player… I was laughing, like ‘hey man, you won, you can say whatever you want,” he said.
Week 4: Colts def. Steelers
The Steelers have endured some key injuries to their players, including starting quarterback Russell Wilson, whose calf injury in the preseason forced him to sit out the first four weeks of their 2024 campaign.
While Wilson seems closer to a return, other players aren't so lucky. Against the Colts in Week 4, Steelers guard James Daniel tore his Achilles, which will end his season, unfortunately cutting short a solid performance on a contract year.
Besides Wilson and Daniel, the team's offense isn't playing at full strength, having lost rookie tackle Troy Fautanu, center Nate Herbig, and Isaac Seumalo.
Meanwhile, quarterback Justin Fields has steered the team to a 3-1 record despite all the injuries, which should end up in his favor as he fights for his starting job versus the returning Wilson.
Besides the wins, the team should find plenty of reasons to stick with Fields even as their old starting quarterback returns to action.
On the other hand, the Steelers haven't discussed contracts with Najee Harris, whom the Colts just roasted, after declining his fifth-year rookie option prior to training camp.
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This contract issue might not rear its head as yet, but the team will have to do something with his deal or else let him potentially walk away for nothing after the season, depending on what happens.
Potential trades?
Additionally, after striking out on the Brandon Aiyuk sweepstakes last offseason, the Steelers appear to be buyers on the trade market once again. Rumors have swirled that the Steelers want to trade for Davante Adams, who'd requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders.
While Adams reportedly prefers to play with a quarterback he knows, like Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr, Pittsburgh might be able to put a package together to get the Raiders to part with the wideout.
The NFL trade deadline is on November 5, giving all interested teams plenty of team to work out a deal.
