James Daniels injury update: Steelers OL receives official diagnosis

Following their first loss of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers received some disappointing news regarding offensive lineman James Daniels.

The guard was carted off the field in the first quarter of Sunday’s Week 4 road contest against the Indianapolis Colts. It was originally reported that Daniels sustained an ankle injury and was questionable to return, with Spencer Anderson taking his place. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler provided a harrowing update on Monday morning.

“#Steelers starting guard James Daniels suffered an Achilles tear Sunday against Indy, per source,” Fowler reported. “He will be out for the season. Tough blow for a steady starter up front.”

That’s a major blow for a Steelers offensive line that’s already dealing with its fair-share of injuries. Daniels, 27, had started 36 games for the Steelers since 2022, including every game in 2024. He was off to his best start in a Steelers uniform, earning an elite 93.3 grade from Pro Football Focus. 

Now, the Steelers will have to rely on their depth to make up the difference, but Daniels won’t be easily replaced. Perhaps they’ll look outside the organization, but one thing is for sure, the offensive lineman will be missed over the rest of the 2024 campaign, as he recovers from a demoralizing injury.

Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick rips officials, NFL over personal foul penalty vs. Colts

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick went after the officials and NFL over the personal foul penalty against him during the game against the Indianapolis Colts. After the game, Fitzpatrick spoke to reporters about the penalty that helped the Colts get their third touchdown of the day. 

“I thought we were playing football. I don’t know what we’re playing at this point,” Fitzpatrick said. “This is not the game I grew up playing and what I grew up living. You can’t hit anybody hard.

Fitzpatrick was hit with a personal foul penalty for his hit on Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The penalty occurred late in the third quarter and helped the Colts go up 24-10 against the Steelers. When it was all said and done, the Colts earned a 27-24 win over Pittsburgh.

The reason Fitzpatrick was upset was he made incidental contact with Mitchell. Officials said that the Steelers safety hit a defenseless receiver but the hit was shoulder-to-shoulder and not helmet-to-helmet. Other than the penalty, Fitzpatrick had a strong day, recording nine tackles in the loss (six solo).

On3’s Nick Geddes and Brian Jones contributed to this article.