Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Derrick Harmon nearly had his debut season derailed before it began. The defensive tackle sprained his MCL in August during a preseason win over the Carolina Panthers, an injury that initially sparked fears of something far worse.
After being carted off in visible pain, Harmon's timeline was later set at roughly a month of recovery, keeping hopes alive that the 21st overall pick would contribute early in the regular season. Now, with Week 3 approaching, fans are eager to see if he's finally ready to take the field.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin described Harmon as ”questionable at best” when asked about injured players returning against New England.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted on X that while Tomlin is cautious, Harmon himself sounded more optimistic, saying: ”I'm ready to go when my number is called.” Pittsburgh placed Isaiahh Loudermilk on injured reserve earlier this week and signed DeMarvin Leal from the practice squad, leaving open the possibility that Harmon could be active soon if his knee responds well in practice.
Harmon was drafted to bring size and disruption to the Steelers' front seven, and his college resume backs up that expectation. At Oregon, he posted five sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles in 2023, earning one of the highest pass-rush grades in the nation per Pro Football Focus.
His blend of power and athleticism made him a clear first-rounder, and Pittsburgh hopes he can eventually pair with T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward to restore the defense’s dominant identity.
For now, the Steelers are in wait-and-see mode. Even if Harmon isn’t cleared for Week 3, his progress suggests his NFL debut may not be far off. Getting him healthy is key as Pittsburgh looks to rebound from its 31-17 loss to Seattle and stabilize a defense that has looked inconsistent through two games.
Head coach Mike Tomlin also weighed in on the other side of the ball, stressing confidence in an offensive line tasked with protecting Aaron Rodgers.
Though Rodgers was under pressure far too often against the Seahawks, Tomlin believes the group is trending in the right direction and will improve as chemistry builds. That will be critical not only this Sunday in New England but also for the long stretch of the season ahead.
