Giants Release Najee Harris After 99 Rushing Yards in Five Games

Oct 20

4 min read

Updated: 11 minutes ago

Published Oct 20, 2026, 12:13 PM ET | By Vincent Rapisardi

Najee Harris' stint with the Giants is over after five games. New York is releasing the veteran running back, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday, two days after Harris started against the Saints and finished with four carries, the latest turn in a backfield John Harbaugh says still lacks a lead back.

Harris was signed in the summer and totaled 99 rushing yards for the Giants, according to the report shared by Big Blue Film Room on X. Citing a source, Rapoport wrote on X that the move is "another RB shakeup."

It came the same morning the Giants cut outside linebacker Jihad Ward, as we covered in Giants Release Jihad Ward After Two Games and 41 Defensive Snaps.

The Giants signed Harris on Aug. 18, releasing receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in a corresponding move, according to Giants.com. He arrived on a one-year, veteran-minimum contract, coming off a torn Achilles suffered in Week 3 of the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Why the Giants Moved On From Najee Harris

Harris never found traction in New York. He appeared in five games with one start, per NFL.com, and his 99 yards worked out to about 3 yards per carry for an offense still searching for a reliable ground game.

His lone start was supposed to be his opening. ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported before the Saints game that the Giants expected a change to their rotation, with Harris in a larger role and Cam Skattebo seeing fewer carries.

Jordan Raanan reports that there is an "expectation is there will be a change to the Giants RB rotation" this week vs the Saints. … — Big Blue Film Room (@BigBlueFilmRoom) on X, October 18, 2026

Instead, the Giants split the first-half work among four backs. Harris had four carries for two yards, according to NJ Advance Media, and Skattebo did not get a carry. Afterward, Harris said, "It's hard to get into a rhythm with one or two runs," adding, "I've never been through this before."

Najee Harris' Track Record Met a Stalled Giants Run Game

The résumé explains why the Giants took the chance. Harris was the 24th overall pick of the Steelers in 2021 and rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons, becoming the 14th player in NFL history to do so, per Giants.com.

Harbaugh, who faced him for years in the AFC North, called him "a downhill runner, physical runner" when he signed.

The caveat is the setting around him. Harris was coming back from a major injury, and Harbaugh said after Sunday's loss that the running game "was not very good, not very good." He then put the burden on the whole room: "Somebody needs to step up and be the back. And none of those guys have done that yet."

Harbaugh made the same point Monday when asked about frustration over the rotation, as we detailed in Harbaugh on Giants RB Rotation: 'Our Run Game Hasn't Earned That Yet'.

John Harbaugh on potential frustrations from Najee Harris or Cam Skattebo on being a lead back: "Our run game hasn't earned that yet. ... Make the most of those opportunities and you are sure to get more opportunities. Do something." — Big Blue Film Room (@BigBlueFilmRoom) on X, October 20, 2026

What Najee Harris' Release Means for the Giants

The move leaves Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary in the backfield. Tracy ran six times for 18 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans, and Raanan has said to expect Skattebo "to be more in the mix" against the Texans, as we covered in Cam Skattebo Expected to Get Bigger Giants Role vs Texans.

The report did not say whether the Giants plan to add a running back. Harris, 28, is a vested veteran and can sign with any team. The 3-2-1 Giants visit Houston at 1 p.m. ET Sunday in their final game before the bye.

Our Take: Harbaugh Meant It When He Said 'Do Something'

My first reaction: John Harbaugh isn't messing around. Najee Harris was frustrated with his role, Harbaugh's public answer was "do something." Harris was released a day later.

Harris' numbers made the decision easier. He had 99 yards on 31 carries in five games, about 3.2 a carry.

The release also points at the bigger goal. I think Harbaugh wants a true bell-cow back, and by next season he will have one through a trade, free agency or the draft.

Until then, the carries should go to Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr..

Accountability is the right message for a new staff. Roles are earned on the field, not in interviews, and every back on this roster now knows exactly where he stands.

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