Pittsburgh Steelers first-round decide Derrick Harmon was carted off the sector throughout Thursday’s preseason sport towards the Carolina Panthers after sustaining a knee harm. Coach Mike Tomlin mentioned after the 19-10 win that Harmon suffered a “knee sprain” and is being additional evaluated.
The rookie defensive lineman didn’t return to the sport, however was later proven on the Steelers’ bench within the second half and gave the impression to be in good spirits.
Harmon, the No. 21 total decide within the 2025 NFL Draft, was visibly emotional with a towel draped over his head as he was initially taken to the locker room.
Harmon was listed as a beginning defensive finish on Pittsburgh’s unofficial depth chart. His harm is a doubtlessly important growth forward of roster cutdown day subsequent Tuesday.
Harmon recorded one deal with towards the Panthers previous to the harm. Within the Steelers’ second preseason sport towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Harmon registered three whole tackles and a sack.
Harmon performed his school soccer at Michigan State earlier than transferring to Oregon in 2024. At Michigan State, he totaled 71 tackles throughout three seasons and added 3.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. At Oregon, he began all 14 video games, incomes second-team All-Large Ten honors and recognition as an Related Press second-team All-American.
The previous a number of months have been emotionally taxing for Harmon. His mom, Tiffany Saine, suffered a stroke throughout his freshman 12 months at Michigan State and endured quite a few mind surgical procedures. She was on life assist when the Steelers drafted Harmon and died shortly after he arrived on the hospital to share the information of his choice.
“Man, how resilient she was,” Harmon mentioned when he was requested about how she impressed him. “Simply rising up, from my standpoint, my scenario, I grew up along with her having most likely seven, eight mind surgical procedures. And in spite of everything these mind surgical procedures, she didn’t quit. She nonetheless took me to observe, nonetheless went to work. And I at all times, at all times had behind my head, from the start of my school profession, ‘Why can I hold going if I am drained, I am injured, no matter it’s? Why can I hold going if she will rise up and hold going after mind surgical procedure?’ So, simply her resilience and laborious work. She was my inspiration.”
