Najee Harris didn’t know Steelers tie was possible

Steelers running back Najee Harris learned a valuable lesson about the NFL in an awful tie against the Lions, namely that a tie was possible. 

In terms of forgettable performances, the Pittsburgh Steelers submitted a masterclass effort on Sunday as they tied the previously 0-8 Detroit Lions at Heinz Field. Sure, Ben Roethlisberger was out with Mason Rudolph at quarterback. But it’s the Lions that they tied, 16-16.

After the overtime period expired, though, rookie running back Najee Harris was ready to keep going. That’s the type of fight you want to see from a young player in the NFL, especially for a team with the tough-minded mentality that the Steelers embody.

Unfortunately, Harris’ desire to keep going wasn’t about his will to compete — it was because the youngster didn’t know that games could end in a tie.

Najee Harris didn’t know NFL games could end in a tie

Overtime rules are obviously much different in the NFL than in college, the latter of which doesn’t have ties as a possibility as the teams keep playing until there’s a winner.

Having said that, this is hilariously one of those things that you would think coaches wouldn’t have to teach a rookie. Apparently, that’s not the case, at least with Najee Harris.

At the end of the day, though, there’s no harm here and, really, just a funny story to come out of it. It’s not a rule that’s going to affect the rookie’s performance and clearly didn’t on Sunday as he was one of the few bright spots for the Steelers.