The Pittsburgh Steelers were humiliated on the ground against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13. Just one week after holding the Chicago Bears to 99 yards on 25 carries, Pittsburgh's defense allowed 249 yards on the ground to the Bills on 4.9 yards per attempt. The Steelers' defensive line struggled all game... and it may have had something to do with the absence of Derrick Harmon.
Harmon, Pittsburgh's 2025 first-round draft pick, has been encouraging when on the field this season. In fact, the team's best success in stopping the run has come when Harmon has been available.
Unfortunately, we're already running into major health concerns with the rookie.
During Mike Tomlin's Tuesday press conference, the Steelers head coach noted off the bat that Harmon can be characterized as 'out' for the team's Week 14 road matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Harmon is dealing with a knee injury, and this marks the second straight game he will miss with the ailment.
Now Steelers fans are already starting to question whether the talented defensive lineman can be counted on.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should already have major health concerns regarding DL Derrick Harmon
Unfortunately, Harmon's latest knee injury isn't his first medical red flag since joining the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Oregon product missed the first two games of the season as he nursed an MCL sprain he suffered during the team's preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.
Before being drafted by the Steelers with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, some teams flagged Harmon for a knee issue. The big defensive tackle also dealt with a shoulder injury in college.
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Harmon's Week 14 absence comes at a brutal time for the team. The Steelers are coming off a 26-7 defeat and sit on a 6-6 record. Now they must face quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry for a pivotal AFC North matchup that could ultimately dictate the outcome of the division.
Perhaps Harmon just ran into a string of bad luck with the knee injuries that caused him to miss multiple games this season. However, Steelers fans have a right to be concerned about the rookie's health moving forward.