Steelers Rookie Derrick Harmon Faces Bittersweet Draft Night as Mother Passes After Hospital Visit

Derrick Harmon's NFL dream came true Thursday night when he was chosen as the 21st overall pick in the draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the moment was marked by deep heartache, as his mother, Tiffany Saine, was fighting for her life in the hospital.

Unable to watch the draft together, Harmon hurried to the hospital right after hearing his name called, determined to tell his mother in person that he'd made it to the NFL. That moment would be their last together, as Saine passed away shortly after her son's visit.

Harmon described the experience as "bittersweet," admitting that while the achievement was huge, not sharing it with his mom was a heavy blow. Saine had suffered a stroke when Harmon was a freshman at Michigan State, leaving her paralyzed on one side. As if one tragedy wasn't enough, she endured "about eight brain surgeries" over the years.

"She's the reason I'm here. She's the reason I did everything up to this point," Harmon reflected, crediting his mother for instilling in him a sense of resilience that powered both his athletic and personal journey.

Harmon even used his NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money to buy his mother an accessible van, showing that his devotion went far beyond words. He spoke about her relentless determination, marveling at how she continued working and taking him to practices, even after so many surgeries. "If she can keep going after all that, why can't I?" he said, capturing the spirit that’s now carrying him onto an NFL field.

Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 310 pounds, Harmon played three seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Oregon. There, he became a second-team All-American and notched five sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss last season—a force to be reckoned with on the field, and clearly off it, too.

The Steelers may have signed a powerhouse, but Derrick Harmon's true strength is the kind you can’t measure in bench presses or 40-yard dashes.