Fowler: Steelers OG James Daniels Tears Achilles, Out For Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost starting RG James Daniels for the season due to a torn Achilles, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. It’s a big blow to a Steelers’ offensive line struggling to stay healthy this year, and the second lineman to be out for the rest of the regular season, joining OT Troy Fautanu, who suffered a dislocated kneecap earlier this month.

#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.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 30, 2024

Daniels went down early in Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He was spotted wearing a walking boot and on crutches after the game. Daniels had been the Steelers’ best offensive lineman this season and improved as a run blocker. Entering a contract year, he was poised to cash in big this March, though odds were high he would price himself out of Pittsburgh and sign elsewhere.

Spencer Anderson replaced James Daniels at right guard and finished out the game against the Colts. With Isaac Seumalo likely to return for Week 5 against Dallas, we’ll see if the Steelers stick with Anderson or turns to rookie Mason McCormick, who was a left guard for most of his college career and primarily played there during his first year with Pittsburgh.

Signed ahead of the 2022 season, Daniels had played every single snap with the Steelers. Now, they’ll spend the rest of the year without him. Still just 27 years old, he’ll try to get healthy for the start of 2025 and has an uncertain future with which team he’ll be doing that for.

After enjoying excellent collective health in 2022 and 2023, Pittsburgh’s offensive line has been battered with injuries throughout this season. Starting LG Isaac Seumalo has missed the first month due to a pec strain suffered before the season, Fautanu was injured in a freak moment in practice, veteran center Nate Herbig tore his rotator cuff during the last hour of training camp and is out for the year, backup tackle Dylan Cook began the year on IR due to a foot injury, and second-year tackle Broderick Jones has played hurt throughout much of the year.