The Pittsburgh Steelers won't have one of their most promising young players for Week 1.
First-round pick Derrick Harmon has been ruled out for the season-opening matchup with the New York Jets.
Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters Tuesday that Harmon will be sidelined against the Jets.
Harmon hurt his knee during the preseason and had to be carted off the field, which had Pittsburgh fans fearing the worst. But it ended up only being a knee sprain, so it seems likely he'll return sometime in September.
The 6-foot-4, 313-pound Harmon was the No. 21 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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He's from Detroit and began his college career at Michigan State before transferring to Oregon.
Harmon just turned 22 in August, so he's relatively young for his draft class.
In his lone season at Oregon in 2024, Harmon had 45 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss. He also had five sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four passes defensed.
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The Steelers have solid defensive line depth, so Harmon's absence won't totally ruin their chances against the Jets. They'll need a disciplined group up front above the QB running capabilities of former Steelers quarterback Justin Fields.
Harmon will have to watch and learn from the sideline, and Pittsburgh will just have to hope he can make it back sometime soon.
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