Steelers Have A Problem With First-Round Pick Derrick Harmon: "That's A Little Bit Concerning"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a tough time on the defensive side of the football during the 2025 season, and it has all begun with stopping the run. The group has been very inconsistent when it comes to this, as some weeks, the defense gets run all over, while in other games, it looks like the defensive front can hold its own. An important piece when it comes to stopping the run is rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. Harmon has not made any crazy splash plays during his rookie season, but his impact is felt and noticeable, especially when he can't be on the field.

Harmon was drafted with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and there were some injury concerns surrounding the defensive lineman, despite the fact that he never missed a game during his college career. He then suffered a knee injury in the preseason finale that looked like it might be serious, but thankfully it was not and he only missed two games to begin his rookie year. However, another injury in the same knee popped up a couple of weeks ago and he has missed the two most recent games for Pittsburgh.

Insider Ray Fittipaldo spoke about this on 93.7 The Fan, discussing future plans of action and how concerning it is.

"We had a chance to talk to Derrick yesterday," Fittipaldo noted. "He kind of talked to us about how it's been a trying season for him. I don't know if you guys know this, but he did not ever miss a game in college. I think he played 24 consecutive games at Michigan State and he played in all 14 games at Oregon. I think we should also point out, it's the same knee. He claims it's a different injury. That's a little bit concerning for me going into the offseason. Your first-round pick has had two knee injuries, there might be a clean-up surgery in his future."

The question about Harmon's health stemmed from the hosts raving about the rookie's impact on the field. The defense allows nearly 100 more rushing yards a game when he is unable to play, but when he is on the field, the group only allows roughly 96 rushing yards. That is a huge difference and that shows the caliber of player Harmon can be.

During the pre-draft process, there were injury concerns for Harmon, even though he never missed a game in college as mentioned. The concerns were not knee-related though, as most teams had worries about a shoulder injury. The shoulder has not been an issue during his rookie season, while the knee has caused some problems.

Fittipaldo noted that both recent knee injuries have come to the same knee, which has made life hard on the rookie. The insider brought up the possibility of Harmon getting a clean-up type of surgery, which would probably be done at the beginning of the 2026 offseason. This would allow him to recover in time to get a full offseason of training in to prepare to take a leap during his sophomore season.

Steelers Need Derrick Harmon For Monday Night Football Against The Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh is hosting the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football in Week 15, and Miami happens to be one of the best teams in the league when it comes to running the ball. The Dolphins are 25th in the league when it comes to rushing attempts, but eighth in yards, which is an extremely impressive feat. The Dolphins will be coming into Acrisure Stadium with the the intention to run the football, and Harmon is currently questionable for the game. 

Harmon did not practice on Thursday, and his status is still up in the air.

What do you think about the worries surrounding Harmon? Let us know in the comments below!

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