Derrick Harmon/Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Steelers received a scare Thursday night when rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon was carted off the field with a knee injury during their 19-10 preseason win over the Carolina Panthers.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said afterward that Harmon suffered a knee sprain and is undergoing further evaluation. When pressed on whether there was concern about ligament damage, Tomlin repeated: “Like I said, it is a knee sprain.”
How It Happened
Harmon appeared to get hurt in the second quarter while trying to muscle past Panthers guard Brandon Walton. As he turned the corner, Walton shoved him down awkwardly on his right side. The play still resulted in a turnover, as Harmon’s pressure forced Carolina quarterback Jack Plummer into a hurried throw that was intercepted by cornerback James Pierre in the end zone.
Visibly emotional, Harmon draped a towel over his head as he was carted to the locker room. But there was some encouraging news — he later returned to the Steelers’ sideline in the second half, walking on his own and even appearing in good spirits on the bench.
Key Role as a Rookie
The Steelers drafted Harmon 21st overall in April with the expectation he would immediately bolster their defensive line. He was listed as a starting defensive end on the team’s unofficial depth chart and has drawn comparisons as an eventual heir to veteran Cameron Heyward.
“Being a first-rounder, being an automatic starter as a rookie, yeah,” Harmon said earlier in camp. “But I feel like pressure makes diamonds.”
Assistant GM Andy Weidl recently praised the rookie’s “explosiveness, length, and energy off the ball,” noting that Harmon’s makeup and relentless motor were central reasons Pittsburgh made him a first-round pick.
Harmon recorded his first preseason sack last week against the Buccaneers and added three tackles in that game. He had one tackle on Thursday before leaving with the injury.
Inspirational Journey
Harmon’s rise to the NFL has been shaped by personal resilience. His mother, Tiffany Saine, endured multiple brain surgeries before passing away shortly after the Steelers drafted him in April. Harmon has often credited her as his biggest inspiration.
“Man, how resilient she was,” Harmon reflected earlier this year. “Just growing up, from my standpoint, my situation, I grew up with her having probably seven, eight brain surgeries. And after all those brain surgeries, she did not give up. She still took me to practice, still went to work. And I always, always had in the back of my head, from the beginning of my college career, ‘Why can I keep going if I’m tired, I’m injured, whatever it is? Why can I keep going if she can get up and keep going after brain surgery?’ So, just her resilience and hard work. She was my inspiration.”
What’s Next
With final roster cuts looming next Tuesday, the Steelers will hope for a positive update on their first-rounder. Harmon’s health could have a significant impact on a defense that already leans on its front line to set the tone.
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