Steelers RB Najee Harris Shares Ideas for Ben Roethlisberger Replacement

With Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger officially announcing his retirement Thursday, Pittsburgh now begins its search for their next signal caller. Running back Najee Harris, who will be taking handoffs and catching passes from the next quarterback, shared some suggestions of who he would like joining him in the backfield on CBS Sports HQ on Thursday.

He doesn’t sound very picky either, as there are plenty of options he is open to.

“There’s names that pass my mind,” he said. “Deshaun Watson’s always in there. Aaron Rodgers. Obviously I don’t know how far he is coming close to retirement. But he’s somebody I think, too. Even guys like, if we get Jimmy (Garappolo). I like him too.”

That being said, Harris just wants the next quarterback to be a competitor and a fit for Pittsburgh offense moving forward.

“Just a guy who wants to come in here and compete,” Harris added. “I think that that will fit the offense… I just love the game really much, and whoever’s over there, I’m just happy to play with whoever.”

Watson sat the entire 2021 season for the Houston Texans as he continues to navigate legal trouble stemming from numerous sexual assault allegations.

Rodgers appears to have played his last football for the Green Bay Packers following another disappointing playoff exit. He has openly publicized his appreciation for both Pittsburgh the city and the franchise for months.

As for Garappolo and the San Francisco 49ers, they will play in the NFC Championship against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. While the team drafted his replacement in Trey Lance last April, the Niners still seem unsure of what exactly they will do with Garappolo this offseason.

Pittsburgh’s current internal plan for replacing Roethlisberger appears to be an open competition between veteran backups Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins.