Wednesday, 30 April 2025

Mother Of 1st Round NFL Draft Pick Passes Away Shortly After Selection

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The mother of a first-round pick in the NFL draft passed away shortly after her son’s selection Thursday night.

Tiffany Saine, the mother of Steelers first-round pick Derrick Harmon, died after he was selected 21st overall in the draft.

“Saine, who suffered a stroke in 2022 that left her paralyzed on her left side, was on life support in the hospital while Harmon learned of his NFL future surrounded by the rest of his family in his hometown of Detroit,” ESPN reports.

“On behalf of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization, I extend our deepest condolences to Derrick Harmon and his family during this difficult time,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said, according to ESPN.

“Though we are excited to select Derrick in the first round of the NFL Draft, our hearts are heavy as we mourn the death of his mother, Tiffany Saine. We will support Derrick and his family however we can as he navigates this period of grief. In times like this, we hope Derrick finds comfort in the love and support from the organization and Steelers fans around the world,” he added.

Per ESPN:

Harmon told reporters he was leaving his draft party to see his mother in the hospital Thursday night.

“It was a little bittersweet, man,” Harmon said Thursday of the moment he got the Steelers’ call. “My mom wasn’t with me, she’s at the hospital right now on life support, so that was a little bittersweet, because she worked just as hard as me to get to this moment.”

Ahead of the Rose Bowl in December, Harmon shared that he used some of his NIL money to buy his mom a wheelchair-accessible van. Harmon spent the first three years of his career at Michigan State to be close to his mom before making the difficult decision to transfer to Oregon for his senior season.

Harmon said Thursday night that he learned resilience from his mom as he watched her endure multiple brain surgeries before the stroke.

“After all those brain surgeries, man, she did not give up,” Harmon said. “She still took me to practice, still went to work, and I always, always, in the back of my head from the beginning of my college career was, why can’t I keep going?

“If I’m tired, I’m injured, whatever it is, why can’t I keep going if she can get up and she can keep going after brain surgery.”

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CNN reports:

During Harmon’s freshman year at Michigan State, Seine had a stroke that left her paralyzed on the left side of her body, Harmon told ESPN in an interview ahead of the draft.

Prior to that, she underwent numerous brain surgeries during his childhood, Harmon said.

As Harmon continued to develop as a football player, the Detroit native chose to stay close to home, playing three years for the Michigan State Spartans.

Saine, who Harmon described as his “rock,” was instrumental in encouraging her son to make the 2,000-mile journey across the country to pursue his football dreams at the University of Oregon.

“We had a discussion and she told me every decision I had made up until this point was for her, and it’s time to make a decision for myself,” Harmon told ESPN.

Even though he was on the other side of the country, Saine remained in the forefront for Harmon. Before Oregon’s appearance in the Rose Bowl last season, Harmon revealed that his biggest purchase using his NIL money was buying a van for his mother and her wheelchair.

Going into the draft, Harmon credited his mother for his success.

“She’s the reason why I’m here,” Harmon said to ESPN. “She’s the one that did everything for me to get to this point. I love you, mom. Everything I do is for you. I’m forever grateful.”


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