It was only the preseason, and it was his first game action as a pro, but as a first-round pick immediately anointed a starter, Derrick Harmon expects more of himself than the blank stat line he put up in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason opener in Jacksonville.

Harmon made a better impression during his first game at his new home stadium.

Harmon had a sack and a tackle for loss in the run game during Saturday’s preseason defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium.

“Week 1 was kind of rough for me,” Harmon said afterward. “I took a big — not a big jump, but just more trusted my ability in the second game. Still a lot of work to do in the back end. Still a lot of work as far as me individually and the team, so just ready to get back to work.”

After sharing a tackle of Sean Tucker with fellow defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk on a second-down play late in the first quarter, on the next snap, Harmon brought down quarterback Kyle Trask for an 11-yard loss and his first “splash” play as a pro.

On the next Bucs play from scrimmage early in the second quarter, Harmon teamed with Cole Holcomb for a tackle of Tucker that gained no yards.

Harmon has been making plays at Saint Vincent during training camp. Still, it was heartening to see an “in-the-stadium” play from the franchise’s hand-picked (at No. 21 overall in the draft) eventual heir apparent to 36-year-old stalwart defensive tackle Cameron Heyward.

“Just trying to get better every week,” Harmon said. “Something Cam said, ‘Don’t make the same mistakes this week. Just get better,’ and things like that. So like Coach (Mike Tomlin) always says, ‘Make new mistakes. Don’t make the same mistakes.’ So that’s what I’m going to do.”

Listed as the starter at nose tackle, Harmon was the first player announced during pregame introductions. He played extensively into the second half Saturday, just as he did during the Aug. 9 preseason win at the Jaguars.

But Harmon had no tackles, no batted-down balls, no forced fumbles and no sacks in that game. It took less than a quarter for him to get a sack in preseason game No. 2.

“Everyone’s waiting for that, that first sack of the preseason,” said fellow defensive lineman Yahya Black. “So he got it, and he got there. Well deserved.”

Harmon joined the Steelers’ second draft pick in April, running back Kaleb Johnson, as having better all-around showings in their second preseason games than against Jacksonville.

Tomlin singled out Harmon and Johnson as “positive things” to come out of Saturday’s game.

“Several players took a step forward,” Tomlin said. “Two young guys in particular, Harmon and Kaleb Johnson, really took a step forward off their first performance.”

With two other rookies missing the preseason thus far because of injury — sixth-round quarterback Will Howard and seventh-round defensive back Donte Kent — only five rookie draft picks have played.

And while outside linebacker Jack Sawyer (fourth round), Black (fifth round) and inside linebacker Carson Bruener (seventh round) have yet to pop in game action, Harmon recognizes that more is expected of him.

“Most definitely, being a first-rounder, being a starter as a rookie, yeah,” the 6-foot-4, 313-pound product of Oregon said Saturday. “But I feel like pressure make diamonds. So, that’s how I look at it.”

The pressure cooker of the regular season comes with the opener Sept. 7 at the New York Jets. Until then, that makes for three chances for Harmon to adhere to his mantra to “get better every week.”

He’s taking a “global,” all-encompassing mindset to that end, working to improve on the entirety of his game rather than focusing on a particular aspect or two.

“Just being consistent,” Harmon said. “I’ve got to stay consistent and get better every week, keep getting better, keep getting reps in.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)