Steelers Now
Rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon has won the “Joe Greene Great Performance Award”, which is given annually to Pittsburgh’s top rookie, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh chapter of the PFWA announced on Wednesday.
Harmon, the team’s first-round pick out of Oregon in the 2025 NFL Draft, has made an immediate impact on the team in his rookie season. The 6-foot-4, 313-pound defensive lineman has played in 11 games, making 26 tackles, one for a loss, two sacks, four quarterback hits, a pass defended and a fumble recovery.
But his contributions to the team in his first professional season go way beyond his own personal statistics.
After getting bashed by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 playoffs, the Steelers set out to repair their run defense this offseason, and Harmon was the big addition in that realm.
So far this season, Harmon has missed five games with two knee injuries. In those five games, the Steelers have allowed 165.6 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. In the 11 games with Harmon, they’re at 87 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry allowed.t
“The significance of his presence has been well documented,” head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday.
Now it’s been further documented by Harmon putting his name on the trophy that’s named for another Steelers first-round defensive lineman in Greene.
1984 WR Louis Lipps
1985 P Harry Newsome
1986 LB Anthony Henton
1987 CB Denton Hall
1988 RB Warren Williams
1989 SS Carnell Lake
1990 TE Eric Green
1991 TE Adrian Cooper
1992 FS Darren Perry
1993 LB Chad Brown
1994 RB Bam Morris
1995 QB Kordell Stewart
1996 FB Jon Witman
1997 CB Chad Scott
1998 OG Alan Faneca
1999 WR Troy Edwards
2000 FB Dan Kreider
2001 LB Kendrell Bell
2002 OG Kendall Simmons
2003 S Troy Polamalu
2004 QB Ben Roethlisberger
2005 TE Heath Miller
2006 WR Santonio Holmes
2007 P Daniel Sepulveda
2008 LB Patrick Bailey
2009 WR Mike Wallace
2010 C Maurkice Pouncey
2011 OT Marcus Gilbert
2012 OT Mike Adams
2013 RB Le’Veon Bell
2014 WR Martavis Bryant
2015 LB Bud Dupree
2016 S Sean Davis
2017 WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
2018 S Terrell Edmunds
2019 LB Devin Bush
2020 WR Chase Claypool
2021 RB Najee Harris
2022 QB Kenny Pickett
2023 CB Joey Porter Jr.
2024 C Zach Frazier
Alan Saunders of Steelers Now is a member of the PFWA and voted on the award.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Name 2025 Joe Greene Award for Rookie of the Year
