Chargers FC Training Camp Shock: Najee Harris to Start on NFI After Scary Fireworks Eye Mishap

The Los Angeles Chargers kicked off the 2025 training camp in dramatic fashion—just not on the field. Rookie sensations and veterans alike descended on El Segundo this week, but all eyes were on one unexpected absence: star free-agent running back Najee Harris.

Signed this offseason to a high-stakes one-year deal worth up to $9.25 million, Harris will commence camp on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list after sustaining a superficial—but alarming—eye injury in a July Fourth fireworks accident back home in Antioch, California.

The news sent ripples through the fanbase. Harris had been expected to play a major role in revitalizing the Chargers’ run game, offering both experience and explosiveness.

A workhorse during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris had four consecutive seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and was considered a cornerstone player for the Chargers’ retooled offense. His early absence, while expected to be short-term, raised questions about how quickly the team’s new offensive unit can gel.

The injury itself, described as a surface-level eye injury, came as a result of a fireworks mishap during Independence Day celebrations. Though the visuals reportedly looked far worse than the actual medical severity, the team is proceeding with caution.

Harris is undergoing further evaluation, and team doctors are monitoring his recovery closely. The expectation is that he’ll return to full training as soon as he’s medically cleared—possibly within the first week or two of camp.

Meanwhile, the Chargers are preparing for life without him in the early sessions. Rookie Omarion Hampton, a promising young back, is expected to take additional reps, while other veterans on the roster may get a rare opportunity to stand out.

While the temporary absence of Harris creates a gap, it also presents a developmental window for the younger talent to showcase their skills.

The timing of the injury is frustrating, especially considering the high stakes of this camp. The Chargers are the first team to open training across the league this year and are gearing up for the Hall of Fame Game in Canton later this month.

For a team with a new coaching staff, new offensive schemes, and fresh roster additions, every day of practice is crucial.

Najee Harris’s arrival in Los Angeles was met with optimism. Beyond his numbers, his leadership, durability, and big-game experience were expected to bring stability to a team trying to find its identity under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

With only a one-year contract in place, this training camp was seen as a proving ground for Harris to re-establish his market value while helping lift the Chargers’ postseason hopes.

Despite the setback, there’s a sense of relief that the injury wasn’t more serious. Fireworks-related injuries have derailed the careers of athletes in the past, but Harris appears to have escaped with only minor consequences. Still, the incident serves as a reminder of how even off-field moments can impact a professional season before it begins.

The Chargers’ management has remained confident in Harris’s recovery timeline, emphasizing that the injury is not expected to threaten his availability for the regular season. Yet, questions linger—how quickly will he regain form? Will the team’s offense lose momentum before it even takes the field?

Training camp is often as much about building chemistry as it is evaluating talent. For Harris, missing the opening sessions may delay his integration into the new playbook and rhythm with his teammates. For the team, it presents an early test in managing adversity and making the most of their depth chart.

In the coming days, all eyes will be on the updates surrounding Harris’s status. The fan base hopes to see him return in pads sooner rather than later, ready to fulfill the role many envisioned when he was brought in.

As the Chargers begin laying the foundation for their 2025 season, Harris’s health and return remain a central storyline—and a reminder that sometimes, the biggest headlines in football don’t come from the field, but from the unexpected twists off it.

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