Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers round into their regular-season opener as a largely healthy bunch. Mike Tomlin’s team will be missing first-round pick Derrick Harmon, however.
“Thankfully as we sit here today and, really, just based on the structure of the preseason and how it’s set up, it’s done so that we all get an opportunity to move into the season as healthy as possible,” Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference. “Not having a game last week, obviously, last weekend, helps that. Derrick Harmon is the only guy at this juncture that I will characterize as ‘out.'”
Isaiahh Loudermilk, Daniel Ekuale and Yahya Black will fill in for Harmon.
Harmon, a defensive tackle and the No. 21 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was injured during the Steelers’ final preseason game, at Carolina. He was carted off the field in Charlotte, prompting concern about how long he’d be out for. It ended up not being as bad as it could’ve been.
“I thought it was serious, but it wasn’t that serious,” Harmon said last month, adding that he’s focused on rehabbing his sprained MCL.
Harmon was reported to be expected to be out for a month. The knee injury won’t require surgery, another positive sign for the former Oregon standout.
“Injuries are part of this game, and at this level, it’s part of what we do,” Harmon said. “So just trying to keep my hopes up and keep me mentally prepared and mentally focused. … Once I got next to my teammates, they cheered me up, man, and told me to get out of my head. That’s what they really told me, so that’s why I was laughing like that.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Mike Tomlin Rules Out Derrick Harmon for Jets Matchup
