Report: Steelers First-Round Pick May Need Surgery

Concerning medical news has emerged about the Pittsburgh Steelers first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (55) reacts in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, adding to their trenches with the 21st pick in the draft. But Harmon came with injury concerns, and reports now claim he'll eventually need surgery.

According to WDVE's Mike Prisuta, Harmon is dealing with a partially torn rotator cuff and labrum in his shoulder. The injury is what caused him to fall to the 21st spot in the NFL Draft, but teams still expected him to go in the first round.

According to league source Derrick Harmon’s Combine MRI revealed partial rotator cuff tear and a labral tear. Per source, multiple teams attached “risk” designation to Harmon’s medical evaluation. Expectation was he might slide a few spots as a result but wouldn’t drop out of 1R.

— Mike Prisuta (@DVEMike) April 25, 2025

The Steelers aren't worried about the injury concerns with Harmon, and ran medical checks on him during his pre-draft visit with the team.

"We wouldn't have picked him unless our medical staff and we were comfortable with it," general manager Omar Khan said after the selection.

" We had him in at a pre-Draft 30 visit and had an opportunity to get our documents, him in front of our docs, and we were extremely comfortable with that component," head coach Mike Tomlin followed up.

According to 93.7 The Fan's Adam Crowley, Harmon will eventually require surgery because of the issue. It's unknown when he will, or if the urgency is there for him to have it sooner rather than later. Players could handle this injury well, avoiding surgery for years, but it's a case-by-case basis across the NFL.

Pittsburgh still feels confident that they found their guy at the top of the NFL Draft. They now add Harmon to a group of Keeanu Benton and Cam Heyward, solidifying their defensive line for the forseeable future. Something they went into the draft wanting to do.

Now, they just need to hope for the best with Harmon's shoulder.

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