In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ thrilling 44-38 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals , running back Najee Harris momentarily found himself sidelined in the first quarter for an unexpected reason—Thanksgiving dinner. Specifically, Harris revealed after the game that Pat Freiermuth’s girlfriend, Jill, was behind his brief absence.
“Thanksgiving, Pat’s girlfriend, Jill, made some fine-ass, little banana thing, and I had too much,” Harris joked. “I guess I didn’t know that it affected me until that first drive.”
The Steelers initially listed Harris’ exit as a potential leg injury after he appeared to slow up on a screen pass late in the team’s second drive. However, Harris later clarified that his sluggish start stemmed from overeating during the holiday feast. His solution? A quick intake of oranges during the first quarter.
Once Harris re-entered the game during Pittsburgh’s fourth possession, he showed no lingering effects from his overindulgence. The standout running back capped off the drive with a beautiful 10-yard touchdown run, displaying his trademark vision and agility. Harris credited his success to the Steelers’ offensive line, which has been a growing force throughout the season.
Najee Harris was off to a slow start for Steelers, blames Pat Freirmuth’s girlfriend’s food
“It feels great,” said rookie center Zach Frazier, who led the way on Harris’ touchdown run. “It’s a great feeling to make a block that results in a score.”
Harris finished the game with 129 all-purpose yards on 22 touches, a testament to his resilience and growing chemistry with his offensive line. This marked another standout performance for Harris, who is enjoying a career-best season. Harris’ production, coupled with Pittsburgh’s balanced offensive attack, has been integral to the team’s impressive 9-3 record.
The Steelers’ offense as a whole delivered one of its best performances of the season. Quarterback Russell Wilson looked rejuvenated, throwing for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the ball effectively to his receivers. Frazier noted the unit’s cohesion during the game, highlighting how well everything came together on the field.
“Everything just clicked today,” Frazier said. “That whole game in general was just a lot of fun. … Every time we take the field, I feel like we’re trying to score, and I feel like today, that’s what we did.”
While Harris may have started the game with a minor hiccup, his eventual dominance and the Steelers’ offensive explosion served as the perfect remedy. Thanks to contributions from every level of the offense, Pittsburgh was able to outlast a high-scoring Bengals team and maintain their strong position in the AFC playoff race.
