The Pittsburgh Steelers have suffered through numerous injuries in recent weeks. The upcoming home game for Monday Night Football has been a blessing to the team, as it has given all these players another day to rest and recover from their injuries before practice starts back up. It doesn't sound like much, but an extra 24 hours of rest and recovery can matter so much, as long as it's not a truly major issue. Hopefully, Pittsburgh will be healthier than they have been when they take the field on Monday, December 15th.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers defensive lineman, Derrick Harmon, celebrates after recovering a fumble in Pittsburgh's 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season.
Before practice on Thursday, rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon was asked about an update on his knee. He seems very hopeful to return sooner rather than later.
Derrick Harmon is optimistic about playing on Monday night. He said he injured the same knee that kept him out for two games to start the season, but he said it’s not the same injury.
— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) December 11, 2025
He also said that he is getting "impatient," but he still has a lot of optimism about the upcoming game. He previously got injured in the preseason and also missed the first two weeks of the regular season. Potential injury concerns were the reason that he fell to the Steelers in the first place, whether that was actually true or not. As long as he can stay healthy moving forward, he will likely be in Pittsburgh for a very long time.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (99) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
In his nine games in the NFL so far, Harmon has two sacks, 22 tackles, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. For a rookie interior lineman, that's not bad at all. He has a ton of potential, and the Steelers likely got an absolute steal with a player that was expected to go around Pick 10. He will likely only continue to be better as he proves to the world why he should have been selected much earlier.
Even if his stats are not eye-popping, there is one number that shows just how important Harmon truly is to this unit. The difference in run defense when he is active versus when he is not is astronomical. The Steelers give up 96 yards on the ground per game with him, and just above 191 rushing yards per game without him.
In nine games with Derrick Harmon in the lineup, the Steelers have allowed an average of 96 yards rushing per game. In the four games he has missed, the Steelers have allowed an average of 191.25 yards rushing – nearly a 100-yard difference.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) December 10, 2025
It doesn't matter how strong those rushing attacks are; allowing almost 200 rushing yards per game is historically bad. It's not like Harmon has faced nobodies at running back either. Jonathan Taylor is arguably the best runner in the NFL in 2025, and the Steelers held him to just 45 yards on the ground. The rookie defensive tackle has a massive effect on this defense already.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Derrick Harmon celebrates with Cam Heyward.
That level of impact from a rookie on the interior defensive line is almost unheard of, but that's the case here. The Steelers will need Harmon to be completely healthy as they have to play the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens in two of the final three games. They will give this bruised and battered defense a big test before the playoffs begin.
Steelers Haven't Seen Much From Other Key Players
Defensive captain Cameron Heyward is clearly slowing down with age, as he is close to hitting numerous career lows for healthy seasons. 2026 may be the year that Harmon takes over for him. Meanwhile, Keeanu Benton was expected to have a big jump in 2025, but he has been inconsistent. He has had a few great performances, but not enough to call him the future at nose tackle. That's why the run defense is such a problem without Harmon.
What do you think about Harmon returning to action? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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