Steelers vs Panthers Recap - Pittsburgh Loses First-Round Pick Derrick Harmon to Knee Injury

Football Nation
Aug 22
3 min read

Steelers Beat Panthers 19-10 in Preseason Finale, But Lose First-Round Pick Derrick Harmon to Knee Injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers closed out their 2025 preseason with a 19-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. While the Steelers showcased strong performances from key players like QB Skylar Thompson and rookie kicker Ben Sauls, the game came with a significant injury blow as first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon suffered a sprained knee and did not return.

Game Highlights

Skylar Thompson came off the bench in the second quarter to replace Mason Rudolph and completed 11 of 13 passes for 152 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to Lance McCutcheon. Thompson connected on a few explosive plays, including a 53-yard pass to Scotty Miller.
Rookie kicker Ben Sauls nailed four field goals from 38, 50, 49, and 28 yards, providing all the Steelers' scoring aside from the touchdown.
Mason Rudolph started for Pittsburgh and finished 6 of 8 for 36 yards but threw an interception.
Panthers quarterback Jack Plummer, filling in for Bryce Young and Andy Dalton, threw a touchdown pass to James Mitchell but also had an interception.
Panthers’ recently signed Bryce Perkins struggled in the second half, including a sack-fumble forced by Steelers rookie Yahya Black.
Steelers running back Jaylen Warren made his preseason debut with 3 yards rushing on 2 carries and 12 yards receiving on 2 catches.
Rookie running back Kaleb Johnson also saw playing time with 24 yards on 5 carries.
Steelers wide receiver Brandon Johnson exited the game early with a foot injury.

Injury Update

The marquee injury was to Derrick Harmon, the Steelers' first-round pick (21st overall), who was carted off with a knee sprain in the first half. Coach Mike Tomlin labeled the injury "significant" with no timetable for his return.
Panthers rookie linebacker Princely Umanmielen disclosed he will get an MRI on his right shoulder the next day.
Panthers OT Ja’Tyre Carter and RB Raheem Blackshear both sustained ankle injuries.

Coach Tomlin’s Comments

Tomlin praised Thompson’s aggressive style and noted his prior starting experience in Miami, which appears to be translating well. He acknowledged that the team was highly penalized (13 penalties for 104 yards) and that tackling was inconsistent, allowing roughly 100 rushing yards by halftime. Despite their victory, Tomlin emphasized the need for improvement ahead of the regular season opener against the Jets on September 7.

Box Score Summary

Team	1st Qtr	2nd Qtr	3rd Qtr	4th Qtr	Total Points	Total Yards	Passing Yards	Rushing Yards
Pittsburgh Steelers	0	10	3	6	19	255	226	29
Carolina Panthers	3	7	0	0	10	171	84	87

Steelers Individual Stats

Player	Position	Stat Line
Skylar Thompson	QB	11/13, 152 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Mason Rudolph	QB	6/8, 36 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Lance McCutcheon	WR	3 receptions, 52 yards, 1 TD
Scotty Miller	WR	3 receptions, 82 yards
Jaylen Warren	RB	2 rushes, 3 yards; 2 receptions, 12 yards
Kaleb Johnson	RB	5 rushes, 24 yards
Ben Sauls	K	4 field goals (38, 50, 49, 28 yards)

Panthers Individual Stats

Player	Position	Stat Line
Jack Plummer	QB	7/14, 48 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Bryce Perkins	QB	10/11, 71 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack-fumble
Raheem Blackshear	RB	11 rushes, 35 yards
Emani Bailey	RB	9 rushes, 31 yards
James Mitchell	WR	1 reception, 7 yards, 1 TD

Key Takeaways

Steelers showed early promise from backups and rookies but were hindered by penalties and inconsistent tackling.
Kicker Ben Sauls impressed by going a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals.
Injury to Derrick Harmon is a major concern, with the nature of the knee sprain still to be evaluated.
Panthers finished the preseason without a win, struggling to establish offensive rhythm behind backups.