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On Thursday, Harmon was selected with the 21st overall pick by the Steelers. At the time, his mother, Tiffany Saine, was on life support in a hospital.
Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (DL15) poses for a portrait at the NFL football Combine. (AJ Mast/AP Content Services for the NFL)
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Detroit native and former Michigan State Spartan Derrick Harmon in the first round of the NFL Draft. Shortly after, his mom passed away.
On Thursday, the Steelers selected Harmon as the 21st overall pick. At the time, his mother, Tiffany Saine, was on life support in a hospital.
Saine had a stroke when Harmon was a freshman at Michigan State, which left her paralyzed on the left side. After three years as a Spartan, Harmon transferred to the University of Oregon.
Harmon said in an interview with ESPN that one of his hardest decisions he had to make was transferring from Michigan State to Oregon for his final collegiate year. He said his mother supported his decision despite her health issues.
Harmon excelled at Oregon and earned himself the honor of becoming a first-round draft pick.
After Harmon received the news that he was drafted, he visited his mother in the hospital. He got to tell her that he had been drafted by the Steelers before she passed away, a Steelers Radio Network host shared on social media.
Harmon called his mother his "rock" and said everything he does is for her and he is forever grateful.