**Ready to attack rehab:** As he was being carted off the field before halftime in Thursday night's preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers, the look on No. 1 draft pick Derrick Harmon's face wasn't good.
He came off the field a little earlier in the game after getting hit in the knee, and the severity of it was something he didn't know.
"Yeah, I just got hit on the knee on a play before," said Harmon. "Played through it the next play. I felt it. Just wanted to get it checked out.
"I didn't know what it was at the time. That's why I was so in that mood, in that head space. So pretty much it."
There was good news, though.
Coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Thursday night, and reiterated it on Saturday, that Harmon suffered a knee sprain and is week-to-week.
"I thought it was serious, but it wasn't that serious," said Harmon. "But still something I've got to be in training to get rehab on and that's my focus right now is to attack rehab and do what I have to do."
When Harmon came back to the field after the half, he sat on the sidelines talking with veterans Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt. The two shared some words of wisdom with him.
"Really just don't get too much in my head," said Harmon. "Injury is part of this game and at this level is part of what we do. So, they were trying to keep my hopes up and keep me mentally prepared and mentally focused.
"Once I got next to my teammates, they cheered me up. They told me get out of my head. That's what they really told me. So, that's why I was laughing like that. It just put it in good spirits, telling me you're going to be all right.
"Definitely frustrated. Last preseason game and really excited to get out there in the regular season and compete at a high level. It sucks, but it's part of the game we play, so just got to attack this rehab."
While getting back physically is the main focus, being a rookie Harmon knows he has to stay on top of the mental side as well, something he can't let slip.
"Stay in the playbook, staying up to game speed," said Harmon. "Knowing what I got to do even though I'm not going to probably be out there, but still be up to game speed and know what I've got to. Take it week-by-week and to the best of my ability attack this rehab."