A Monday night win over Miami kept Pittsburgh’s long-standing home streak alive, but one notable name never suited up. Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon was inactive even though Mike Tomlin said he finished the week healthy enough to go, a decision rooted more in development than medical clearance.
As Brooke Pryor reported on X, Tomlin explained that because Harmon is young, the team preferred to hold him until he stacks more practice reps before re-entering the rotation.
The way Tomlin framed it, it sounds less like a setback and more like a final checkpoint, with the expectation Harmon will be ready in Detroit, his hometown.
That context matters because the Steelers looked like a team that didn’t need extra help to handle the Dolphins. Pittsburgh controlled most of the night in a 28-15 win, with the defense holding Miami to just three points before the fourth quarter.
Even without T.J. Watt, the Steelers still got home for four sacks, picked off Tua Tagovailoa once, and consistently won the money downs by stopping Miami on third down six times in eight tries.
Offensively, the Steelers were clean and efficient. Aaron Rodgers threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns, and the ground game added real stability behind Kenneth Gainwell’s 80 yards on 13 carries.
The biggest “hidden” win was that Pittsburgh finished the game without a turnover, the kind of detail that keeps tight AFC races from slipping away.
Tomlin also had praise for an emergency starter up front. With injuries forcing practice squad call-up Dylan Cook into his first NFL start at left tackle, Tomlin said Cook was “above the line” and credited him for “upholding the standard,” while acknowledging the staff helped him with protection plan adjustments.
Now 8-6, the Steelers carry momentum into a high-stakes stretch. If Harmon dresses in Detroit as expected, it will be another small but important step in rounding out a roster that’s trying to peak at the right time.
