The Pittsburgh Steelers are placing defensive lineman Derrick Harmon on injured reserve with a left foot injury, head coach Mike McCarthy said Monday, October 5, ruling the 2025 first-round pick out for at least four games.
Harmon was hurt early in the first quarter of Pittsburgh’s 27–24 loss at Cleveland on Thursday, October 1, and was carted off the field. He was later seen in a walking boot. McCarthy announced the move at his weekly news conference: “We’re gonna put him down on IR. That’ll happen today, so he’ll be out for a number of weeks.”
A stay on injured reserve keeps a player out for a minimum of four games, which makes Week 9 the earliest Harmon could return. Ian Rapoport reported over the weekend that the club does not see the injury as a long-term problem, but the Steelers have not given a specific timeline.
What Pittsburgh loses
Harmon, who played his college football at Oregon, had made 12 tackles this season, with 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble, before the injury. His strip sack of Joe Burrow sealed a 30–27 win over Cincinnati, and he had three sacks as a rookie. Defensive line coach Domata Peko has praised him as a player with a very high ceiling who can hold up against the run and also rush the passer.
His absence puts more weight on Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton and Yahya Black. Heyward made seven tackles and hit the quarterback once in Cleveland.
The secondary is thin as well. Cornerback Jamel Dean injured his ankle in the same game and is expected to miss time, and the Steelers had already traded Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas before Week 4. Pittsburgh responded on Monday by signing Sean Murphy-Bunting off Tampa Bay’s practice squad. Every roster move is tracked on our transactions page.
How the Cleveland game slipped away
The Browns scored three second-quarter touchdowns to lead 21–7 and took a 24–16 lead into the final minutes. Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, found Pat Freiermuth from 3 yards out with 1:42 left and ran in the two-point conversion himself to tie it at 24. Andre Szmyt then won it with a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining. The result left Pittsburgh at 2–2 and lifted Cleveland to 3–1. The full box score is in the Steelers–Browns Game Center.
What comes next
The Steelers host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, October 11, at 1:00 p.m. EDT.
No published comments yet. Start the conversation.