Energy is a powerful catalyst on the gridiron, and we just witnessed in Derrick Harmon's first action with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It can flip momentum, tilt the scoreboard, and change the entire projection of a game. On Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, the Pittsburgh Steelers felt that very jolt. Harmon—back on the field after missing the opening two games with an MCL injury—delivered the kind of spark that coaches talk about all week but rarely see so vividly.
The Steelers invested heavily in Harmon when they used their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to secure him. For a franchise that prides itself on defense, it was a statement of faith: this young man wasn’t just another piece of the puzzle—he was the piece they believed could help anchor their future.
Watching him finally line up in black and gold again was worth the wait. His motor is relentless, his hands are quick, and the kind of physicality he plays with is hard to overlook. For Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye, that truth arrived with the force of a freight train.
Early in the first quarter, Harmon knifed through New England’s offensive line and met Maye in the backfield for his first NFL sack—a thunderous moment that echoed across the visiting sideline and through the Steelers fan base.
I couldn’t help but feel the surge myself. That single play was more than just a stat line; it was a message. After two weeks of uneven defensive performances, Pittsburgh needed a reminder of the standard.
Harmon provided it.
Derrick Harmon is everything the Pittsburgh Steelers belived he would be
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin welcomed his rookie back with open arms, and Harmon rewarded the trust. His presence freed up veterans around him—Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt both looked a step faster as New England’s protection schemes had to account for the rookie’s interior burst. Those ripple effects are what separate a good defensive lineman from a game-changer.
Returning from an MCL injury isn’t easy. It demands patience, discipline in rehab, and mental toughness.
Harmon clearly checked all those boxes. The Steelers’ medical staff brought him back carefully, and it showed; there was no sign of hesitation in his movements, no tentative steps. Just a young player eager to prove why Pittsburgh made him the highest form of their off-season investment.
Of course, one sack doesn’t define a career. Harmon knows that as well as anyone. But it does set a tone. It tells the locker room—and the rest of the league—that the Steelers’ defensive front just got deeper, meaner, and more dynamic.
For a team chasing the AFC North crown, those energy surges matter. The Steelers found one in Week Three, and it came from a rookie whose passion matched the moment. Derrick Harmon isn’t simply back from injury; he’s arrived as a catalyst. If Sunday is any indication, the best is only beginning.