AND IN THE HOSPITAL. SHE’S AT THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW ON LIFE SUPPORT. SO THAT THAT THAT WAS A LITTLE BITTERSWEET, MAN, BECAUSE SHE WORKED AS HARD JUST AS ME TO GET TO THIS MOMENT.
AND BUT IT WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE. SO LIKE I SAID, I’M VERY EXCITED. AND HE DID TELL US THAT HE WAS GOING TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT AFTER HE GOT OFF THAT PHONE CALL TO LET HIS MOM KNOW THAT HE IS NOW A PITTSBURGH STEELER.
FOR Advertisement 'I'm going to head straight to the hospital': Steelers' first-round pick Derrick Harmon dedicates draft moment to mom on life support Share Copy Link Copy The NFL Draft is full of emotions from college players who finally get to see their dreams achieved. For Derrick Harmon, the Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick, the moment was bittersweet. "A blessing a blessing, truly a blessing.
"On a media call, Harmon said his mother is in the hospital and was not with him to share the moment when the Steelers' pick was announced. "She's at the hospital right now on life support, so that was a little bittersweet because she worked as hard just as me to get to this moment," Harmon said. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I'm very excited. "Becoming emotional, Harmon said, "After I get off the phone with you guys, I'm going to head straight to the hospital and tell her that her son got drafted. "His mom has had several brain surgeries and had a stroke his freshman year of college.
The Steelers passed on a quarterback Thursday and selected Harmon, the big defensive tackle from the University of Oregon with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night.The 6-foot-4, 313-pound Harmon was considered one of the better defensive prospects in the draft. He spent the first three years of his college career at Michigan State before transferring in 2024 to Oregon, where he had his most productive season yet with 45 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Harmon "has Steeler DNA," and general manager Omar Khan said the team decided they could not pass up on the chance to take Harmon.
"His tape was impressive. We had great visits with him in Indy (at the NFL Combine). He came to Pittsburgh; man, we had a great day with him.
Just with each interaction, we all got more and more comfortable that he was our type of a guy," Tomlin said.
