Many believe that there comes a point in time where life stops giving and it starts taking. Unfortunately, for Derrick Harmon, those instances overlapped. Shortly after receiving the news that her son had been selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 Draft, Harmon’s mother, Tiffany Saine, passed away.
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The defensive tackle out of Detroit was clearly moved by the moment, knowing that his mother was in the hospital, on life support, while he was out realizing his childhood dream. In the moments following his selection, Harmon informed the media that he would be immediately leaving the ceremony to spend time with his mother.
Thankfully, he was able to deliver the news personally prior to her passing. A stroke in 2022 left Saine paralyzed and subsequently led to her enduring eight separate brain surgeries, but that didn’t stop her from supporting her son’s dreams.
“After all those brain surgeries, man, she did not give up… She still took me to practice, still went to work, and I always, always, in the back of my head from the beginning of my college career was, why can’t I keep going? If I’m tired, I’m injured, whatever it is, why can’t I keep going if she can get up and she keep going after brain surgery,” he said.
While Saine would ultimately succumb to the complications that arose from her initial health, her final years were filled with bravery and admiration for her son. When it came time for Harmon to make a decision about which college he would play for, he consulted his mother first and foremost.
After he shared his concerns about moving away from home with her, she boldly informed him that now, more so than ever before, was the time for him to chase his dream.
“She told me that every decision I had made up to this point was for her, it’s time to make a decision for myself. I carried that with me through the whole process.”
In light of the tragic news, the Steelers president, Art Rooney II, reached out to share his condolences with Harmon and the rest of the family. In what was certainly a “bittersweet” moment for everyone involved, Rooney was sure to remind his team’s newest player that, while he may have lost his mother, he also gained millions of loving family members in the form of the Steelers’ fanbase.
“Though we are excited to select Derrick in the first round of the NFL Draft, our hearts are heavy as we mourn the death of his mother, Tiffany Saine. We will support Derrick and his family however we can as he navigates this period of grief. In times like this, we hope Derrick finds comfort in the love and support from the organization and Steelers fans around the world.”
The Oregon product and the rest of the Harmon family will continue to grieve the loss of what was undoubtedly the pillar of their family. The public is being asked to respect their privacy at this point in time, and can expect Harmon to address his portion of the grieving process with members of the media in the following weeks.
