The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly have the worst case scenario with injured offensive guard James Daniels.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweeted on September 30 that Daniels sustained an Achilles tendon tear during Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. The injury will sidelined Daniels for the rest of the 2024 season.
“Steelers starting guard James Daniels suffered an Achilles tear Sunday against Indy, per source,” Fowler wrote. “He will be out for the season.
“Tough blow for a steady starter up front.”
#Steelers starting guard James Daniels suffered an Achilles tear Sunday against Indy, per source. He will be out for the season. Tough blow for a steady starter up front.
Daniels left after the sixth play the Steelers offense ran in Week 4. The CBS broadcast reported the veteran guard suffered an ankle injury and was questionable to return.
The Steelers officially ruled out Daniels before halftime.
Daniels is in his third season with the Steelers. During his first two campaigns in Pittsburgh, he missed only two contests.
The Steelers are also currently missing left guard Isaac Seumalo. But if there’s any silver lining, he returned to practice in limited fashion ahead of Week 4.
Steelers’ James Daniels Suffered Significant Injury
During the 2022 regular season, every Steelers starting offensive lineman played at least 96% of the team’s snaps. The completely healthy unit helped the Steelers turn around their season after a 2-6 start.
The team’s offensive line is more talented and possesses more depth than two years ago. But the line cannot catch a break on the injury front.
Daniels began his career as the No. 39 overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft for the Chicago Bears. He started 10 games as a rookie and then assumed a full-time starter role in 2019.
After four seasons with the Bears, Daniels signed a 3-year, $26.5 million contract. During his first season in the aforementioned 2022 campaign, he played every single snap for Pittsburgh.
But after his Achilles injury, Daniels may not play another snap for the Steelers. The 27-year-old is set to be an unrestricted free agent next March.
