Derrick Harmon Visits Mother On Life Support One Last Time After Being Drafted By Steelers In First Round

Derrick Harmon's plan late Thursday night was to go visit his mother Tiffany Saine after he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the NFL draft. He told reporters on a conference call about his plans and, well, it was heartbreaking.

Harmon's mother was in the hospital Thursday night. 

On life support.

EUGENE, OREGON - NOVEMBER 30: Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon #55 of the Oregon Ducks reacts after a quarterback sack during the second half of the game against the Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium on November 30, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

Harmon Draft Night ‘Bittersweet’

So getting picked by the Steelers, signaling the possibility of a great NFL future ahead, was muted by the pain Harmon was feeling over his sick mother.

"It was a little bittersweet – my mom wasn't with me," Harmon recalled as he told of the moment he was selected No. 21 overall. "She's at the hospital right now on life support, so that was a little bittersweet man, because she worked as hard, just for me to get to this moment, but it was a once in lifetime experience. So, like I said, I'm very excited."

Excited, yes. Fair. Harmon is presently known as the player the Steelers selected while passing over Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. 

Soon, the Steelers believe, he'll be known as an anchor in the middle of the defensive line.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 04: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on January 04, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Tomlin: Harmon Can Dominate

"He has Steelers DNA," coach Mike Tomlin said after the pick. "For us, it starts inside and up front, and this is a guy that's capable of dominating that space versus the run and the pass. So we're really excited about having him."

But for all the excitement about football, the reality of Harmon's personal situation seemed to override everything for the 21-year-old. That's why he did his obligatory interview with local reporters and then got on to more important life business.

"After I get off the phone with you guys," Harmon told reporters, "I'm headed straight to the hospital to tell her [that her] son got drafted."

Multiple reports said Harmon got to the hospital late Thursday night and indeed saw his mother. But shortly after his visit, during which he told her he'd fulfilled his life-long dream of being drafted, she passed away.

She was 44 years old.

"On behalf of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization, I extend our deepest condolences to Derrick Harmon and his family during this difficult time," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement.

"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."

EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 12: Derrick Harmon #55 of the Oregon Ducks lines up on the line of scrimmage during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)

Derrick Harmon's Source Of Strength

Harmon and Saine had been an inspiration for one another for quite some time. She suffered a stroke his freshman year in college and he used his NIL money to buy her a wheelchair-accessible van.

So Harmon's loss and current state of mind is hard to weigh. But it's clear mom will always be a source of inspiration for Harmon. And he will remember her when things get tough.

"Man, how resilient she was," Harmon said. "Just growing up, from my standpoint, of my situation, I grew up with her having probably seven, eight brain surgeries. 

"And after all those brain surgeries, she did not give up. She still took me to practice, still went to work. And what I always, always got in the back of my head, from the beginning of my college career, was, why can I keep going if I'm tired, I'm injured, whatever.

"It is why I can keep going. If she can get up, and she can keep going after brain surgery. So, just her resilience and hard work."