Steelers Now
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — In Derrick Harmon’s absence, Isaiahh Loudermilk started alongside Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton on Sunday. It marks Loudermilk’s sixth career start for the Pittsburgh Steelers and first since 2022.
The Steelers selected Loudermilk in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Including the regular-season opener against the New York Jets, he’s played in 59 games for the team.
Entering Sunday, Loudermilk had totaled 63 career combined tackles, six passes defended and a sack. At Wisconsin, he played in 40 games, starting 26 at defensive end for the Badgers. During his four seasons in Madison, he posted 63 stops, 11.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He also forced a pair of fumbles.
In 2020, Loudermilk was a third-team All-Big Ten media selection.
Harmon, the Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, suffered an MCL sprain during the team’s final preseason game. It was reported afterward that he’ll likely be out for a month with the ailment.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin gave a clue as to how his team will operate until Harmon is healthy, specifically against the Jets.
“It’s going to be a committee of people but I’d imagine it would be a committee of people if he were available,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “We generally play a lot of D-lineman, particularly early in the season due to lack of condition and potential heat and so forth. Not only us, but I just think globally speaking this time of year most teams play a lot of bigs upfront defensively, so that fatigue doesn’t become a factor, particularly down the stretch of a football game.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Announce Replacement for Derrick Harmon
