Alabamas Najee Harris hurdles over a Notre Dame defender after Megan Rapinoe tells him to – CNN

Mission emphatically accomplished.

In Friday’s College Football Playoff Rose Bowl semifinal between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Notre Dame at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Harris did just that, leaping over a Fighting Irish defender during a 53-yard gain in the first quarter.

The reason for Rapinoe’s request? Harris had said in a Rose Bowl press conference Tuesday that he looks up to the US Soccer star.

Harris has been known to celebrate after scoring a touchdown with his arms outstretched, like Rapinoe’s goal celebrations at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

Megan Rapinoe celebrates scoring a goal in the 2019 Women's World Cup on June 28, 2019.Megan Rapinoe celebrates scoring a goal in the 2019 Women's World Cup on June 28, 2019.

Here’s what Harris had to say about Rapinoe when he was speaking with reporters this week:

“Megan go crazy,” Harris said. “She’s from California, first of all, and she listens to Nipsey. Nipsey Hussle, one of my favorite rappers, too. She gave a shoutout to him.

“Really all the stuff she stands up for. She’s a feminist and how the females, how women in the world gets treated unfairly and how they get paid different and different stuff than men.

“She stands up for all that. I like how she does that. And obviously the social injustice that happens, she plays a part in all that. And for her to be a woman and saying all that stuff, and it could be scary for her, for being a woman in what they will say is a man’s world, and her just playing a part, standing up, not listening to all the naysayers out there and really just standing up for what she believes in, it’s motivating. And it’s inspirational.

“Me as a male, I guess you could say, like maybe not too many males will like say they look up to a woman nowadays. But I really look up to her, just for what she does outside of sports. And I guess I had to give her a shoutout and stuff.”

Rapinoe responded to Harris’ comments on Twitter, saying to
“hurdle someone for me!”

Alabama went on to defeat Notre Dame 31-14, advancing to the national championship game.

Alabama running back Najee Harris often imitates Rapinoe's goal celebration after scoring a touchdown.Alabama running back Najee Harris often imitates Rapinoe's goal celebration after scoring a touchdown.