For most aspiring athletes, getting drafted into the NFL is a moment of sheer jubilation. But for Derrick Harmon , the celebration came wrapped in profound sorrow. On April 24, 2025, Harmon was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 21st overall pick in the NFL Draft — a milestone every football player dreams of. Yet, just hours later, his mother, Tiffany Saine , passed away, leaving Harmon to process his biggest career triumph amidst heartbreaking grief.
Derrick Harmon’s emotional NFL debut shadowed by sudden death of his mother post Steelers draft
Derrick Harmon, the 21-year-old standout defensive tackle from Oregon State, shared the emotional moment with his loved ones through an Instagram video. Surrounded by family and friends, the young athlete was seen wiping away tears and embracing those around him as his name was called. The video, captioned “Achieved the dream — for her,” offered a touching glimpse into the raw emotion of the moment.
His Instagram story further reflected the weight of his loss, featuring a heartfelt photo of Harmon and his mother with the words “I love you” alongside a broken heart emoji. Though his mother wasn’t physically by his side during the celebration, Harmon made sure she heard the news. “It was a little bittersweet, man,” he admitted. “My mom wasn’t with me, she’s at the hospital right now on life support, so that was a little bittersweet, because she worked as hard just as me to get to this moment.”
Tiffany Saine had been battling severe health complications in recent years, including multiple brain surgeries and a debilitating stroke in 2022 that left her partially paralyzed. Despite the challenges, she remained a pillar of strength in Harmon’s life. Using money from his NIL deals during college, Harmon bought her a wheelchair-accessible van, showcasing his devotion and gratitude.
“After all those brain surgeries, man, she did not give up,” Harmon said. “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.”
According to NFL Network, Harmon was able to inform his mother of the draft selection before she passed — a moment that, though tragic, offered a bittersweet closure.
Steelers President Art Rooney II issued a statement expressing the organization's support: “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.”
He added, “We will support Derrick and his family however we can… Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with Derrick’s entire family.”
Also Read: Why Shedeur Sanders' draft day slide was not surprising and what NFL teams really thought of his skills
Derrick Harmon’s emotional NFL debut shadowed by sudden death of his mother post Steelers draft
Derrick Harmon, the 21-year-old standout defensive tackle from Oregon State, shared the emotional moment with his loved ones through an Instagram video. Surrounded by family and friends, the young athlete was seen wiping away tears and embracing those around him as his name was called. The video, captioned “Achieved the dream — for her,” offered a touching glimpse into the raw emotion of the moment.
Heartbreaking news: #Steelers 1st rounder pick Derrick Harmon’s mother has passed away.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 25, 2025
After he was drafted, Derrick immediately went to the hospital to tell her he was a Steeler and right after she passed.
💔💔💔
Thoughts and prayers go out to the family 🙏 pic.twitter.com/cxoqGEdZLU
His Instagram story further reflected the weight of his loss, featuring a heartfelt photo of Harmon and his mother with the words “I love you” alongside a broken heart emoji. Though his mother wasn’t physically by his side during the celebration, Harmon made sure she heard the news. “It was a little bittersweet, man,” he admitted. “My mom wasn’t with me, she’s at the hospital right now on life support, so that was a little bittersweet, because she worked as hard just as me to get to this moment.”
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI4yTrPTIiz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI4yTrPTIiz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Tiffany Saine had been battling severe health complications in recent years, including multiple brain surgeries and a debilitating stroke in 2022 that left her partially paralyzed. Despite the challenges, she remained a pillar of strength in Harmon’s life. Using money from his NIL deals during college, Harmon bought her a wheelchair-accessible van, showcasing his devotion and gratitude.
“After all those brain surgeries, man, she did not give up,” Harmon said. “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.”
According to NFL Network, Harmon was able to inform his mother of the draft selection before she passed — a moment that, though tragic, offered a bittersweet closure.
Heartbreaking: #Steelers 1st rounder Derrick Harmon was emotional and was choking back tears speaking with reporters on the phone last night.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 25, 2025
He talked about his mom being on life support & how he was going to the hospital tell her he was drafted.
💔💔💔pic.twitter.com/iom0SlRfKM
Steelers President Art Rooney II issued a statement expressing the organization's support: “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.”
Statement from Steelers President Art Rooney II: pic.twitter.com/AKDzDefoZU
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 25, 2025
He added, “We will support Derrick and his family however we can… Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with Derrick’s entire family.”
Also Read: Why Shedeur Sanders' draft day slide was not surprising and what NFL teams really thought of his skills
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