Steelers Rookie Derrick Harmon Finds Comfort in Football after Tragedy
PITTSBURGH — For most rookies, their first days in an NFL uniform are an exuberant time. For Derrick Harmon, the first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 NFL Draft, he’s just getting through it.
The elation of Harmon being drafted in the first round by the Steelers in April was immediately muted by the death of his mother, Tiffany Saine, hours later.
Harmon missed the typical first-round rookie introduction to the city on the day after the draft, just coming to Pittsburgh for a quick visit before returning to Michigan to be with his family. Instead of the grand PR tour, he arrived in the city quietly hours before his first practice on Thursday evening.
While he’s still grieving, Harmon sees getting back to football as something that will help his process.
“I’m doing the best I can right now,” Harmon said after that practice session on Friday. “I’m in football and I’m in my element. I got my mind off a few things. I’m OK.”
He was doing more than OK when he got to practice. Howard said he loved every moment of his first day in Black and Gold.
“Unbelievable,” Harmon said. “It was a dream come true. I’m around my guys, my new teammates. Just ready to work.”
As for the future, and how he’s going to handle the dueling emotions of being excited over his career while dealing with his personal loss, he’s just taking things day by day.
“I don’t know,” Harmon said. “I’m still dealing with it. I don’t know.”