The jump from college football to the NFL, both mentally and physically, can be brutal.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Yahya Black talked recently about how difficult that hurdle was for him, especially with the Steelers having an early bye week, leading to them playing 14 straight weeks to end the season.
That left him bruised, battered and drained, but he still played some solid football in his first NFL lap around the track.
That didn’t stop him from having some eye-opening moments during his rookie season though. Appearing on the “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast during Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Black recalled one moment that had him realizing he was in the NFL, not the Big Ten.
It came against the Baltimore Ravens on the road.
“I’d say my welcome [to the NFL moment] was trying to tackle Derrick Henry,” Black recalled, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “I tried to shed a block, and I stuck my arm out there and next thing you know, I’m on the ground laying like this and I’m looking down the field and I’m just like, ‘Yeah, my shoulder’s messed up. It ain’t coming back.”
Though Black says he messed his shoulder up on the play, he didn’t miss any time and continued to play through it.
That play was one that didn’t really stand out, good or bad.
It came 10:37 left in the fourth quarter of the Week 14 clash at M&T Bank Stadium. Black, playing left defensive end, was knocked inside by a nice down block from Ravens TE Charlie Kolar. Black did well to fight back through the block and stuck his arm out at Henry.
Somehow, Black was able to cut down Henry for a gain of just five yards, but his left arm took the brunt of the 6-2, 252-pound Henry. Fortunately, Black was wearing a shoulder brace, which might have saved him from some serious injury, but you can see he gets up at the end of the play and is flexing his left arm/shoulder.
That Black’s welcome-to-the-NFL moment came deep into his rookie season is pretty impressive. Coming out of Iowa he had the size and strength to transition to the NFL game right away.
There were flashes of brilliance from Black, and examples of him struggling, too. But he took to the jump well and held his own. Trying to tackle Derrick Henry with one arm though? Not exactly something that should be encouraged.
It woke Black up and made him realize it’s the NFL, that’s a Hall of Fame running back, and he can’t do what he did at Iowa over the last few years against Big Ten running backs.
Pretty funny story from Black though, and fortunately he avoided any injury, continuing to play some good football down the stretch in his rookie season.