Few can relate to Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Derrick Harmon. A weekend full of the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Being drafted in the first round but losing his mother, Tiffany, all in the same day. For former NFL defensive lineman Gerald McCoy, he was touched by – and can relate to – what Harmon’s experiencing.
NFL Network shared its favorite draft moments of the weekend. McCoy chose Harmon’s.
“When I got drafted, everybody saw the tears,” McCoy told the post-draft panel Saturday. “Everybody thought it was about living out the moment of being drafted. But if you go back and listen to the video, it was because my mom wasn’t there. My mom was the one who told me you’re going to be a five-star recruit, you’re going to [Oklahoma], you’re going to get drafted first round. My mom passed away when I was 19. She never got to see that moment.”
McCoy was a dominant college player and became a 2009 All-American while with the Sooners. Coming out as one of the top prospects of the 2010 NFL Draft, he was taken third overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As his name was called, McCoy was emotional not for officially making the NFL but for remembering his mother, who died of a brain aneurysm when McCoy was a college freshman.
Cameras captured the moment.
Harmon’s mother battled health issues throughout his life and suffered a stroke while he was a freshman at Michigan State. A Detroit native, staying close to his mother is the reason why Harmon remained local before making the self-admitted difficult decision to transfer to Oregon for 2024, leading to a breakout season with the Ducks.
After being selected Thursday night, Harmon immediately left for the hospital to tell his mother, on life support, the news. She died shortly after.
“He was drafted and he was able to go let his mom know what just happened,” McCoy said. “So him having an opportunity to do that, that’s what touched me the most. Because I never got to experience that moment, but he did. That’s a day he’s never going to forget.”
Harmon had a similar reaction on draft night. Spending it at home with friends and family, he was emotional getting the call from Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From draft day and throughout his career, Gerald McCoy honored his mother. Named after her, he formed the Patricia Diane Foundation to support single-parent families with “with resources to provide their children with the same opportunities that dual parent – middle and upper income peers get to experience.”
On the field, McCoy is confident Harmon’s emotions on draft night will fuel him during his rookie year.
“And I guarantee you when you watch this kid play this year, he’s going to play with a little different spark,” he said.
McCoy went on to have a solid rookie season and great career, a six-time Pro Bowler who racked up nearly 60 career sacks. His mother became his “why” and Harmon seems poised to be driven with the same motivation.
