The Pittsburgh Steelers know that 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers is unlikely to carry them like he did with the Green Bay Packers in the past. Hard-hitting defense continues to define this franchise, hence why rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon is so important this upcoming season. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury in Thursday's 19-10 preseason win versus the Carolina Panthers. The situation initially seemed dreary, but there is some encouraging news.
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Harmon, who looked visibly distraught while being carted off the field in the second quarter, incurred a knee sprain, via James Palmer of Bleacher Report and The Athletic. He will undergo an MRI on Friday, but this update means the No. 21 pick in the NFL Draft will not miss the entire season like many may have feared.
The first indication that Harmon avoided disaster occurred when he returned to the bench and started laughing with his teammates. That is what a player does when they are spared by the football gods. Even so, the former Oregon standout is expected to be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, per Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac. The Steelers begin their 2025-26 campaign with a Sept. 7 road matchup versus the New York Jets.
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a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints, providing a unique writing voice due to his in-depth knowledge of New York sports. Alex resides in Connecticut after receiving his journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island.