After becoming the 14th player with 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first four NFL seasons, former Alabama All-American Najee Harris is heading back to his home state as an NFL free agent.

Harris will sign a one-year, $9.25 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers when he becomes an unrestricted free agent at 3 p.m. CDT Wednesday, NFL Network and ESPN reported on Monday night.

Harris signed a four-year, $13.047 million contract after Pittsburgh selected him 24th in the 2021 NFL Draft from the Crimson Tide’s undefeated 2020 CFP national-championship team.

Harris has started every Steelers game – 68 regular-season and three postseason contests – since joining Pittsburgh.

In 2024, Harris ran for 1,043 yards and six touchdowns on 263 carries and caught 36 passes for 283 yards in 17 regular-season games.

In his NFL career, Harris has 4,312 yards and 28 touchdowns on 1,097 rushing attempts and 1,149 yards and six touchdowns on 180 receptions.

Running back J.K. Dobbins led the Chargers with 905 yards and nine touchdowns on 195 carries in 13 games in 2024, but he also is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday.

Los Angeles released No. 2 rusher Gus Edwards after he had 365 yards and four touchdowns on 101 rushing attempts in 11 games in 2024.

The two running backs on the Chargers’ current roster are former Troy standout Kimani Vidal, who had 155 yards on 43 rushing attempts and five receptions for 62 yards and one touchdown as a sixth-round rookie, and Hassan Haskins, who ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries and caught three passes for 49 yards and one touchdown.

Last offseason, Pittsburgh could have secured Harris for the 2025 season by using its fifth-year option on the running back’s rookie contract. The option would have paid Harris $6.79 million in 2025, but the Steelers declined to pick up their option.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.