Steelers Get Huge Injury Update on Starting OL

The beginning of training camp for the Pittsburgh Steelers was relatively unremarkable, unlike many years before. There were no major contract negotiations looming over the organization or locker room drama holding the team back. The only issue was the injury of starting left guard Isaac Seumalo.

Steelers' Head Coach Mike Tomlin announced that Seumalo would begin training camp on the Non-Football Injury list (NFI). The veteran offensive lineman suffered a soft tissue injury that is keeping him off the field. Tomlin did not provide any further details regarding the expected timeline of severity of the injury.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette shared an encouraging update on the offensive guard in the absence of one from the organization. The team insider was asked in his weekly column on the team if Seumalo's injury was serious. His response was a simple no.

The response from Dulac is the best news possible for Seumalo and the Steelers. The 31-year-old is the elder statesman of the offensive line and expected to be the anchor alongside center Zach Frazier. Without him available, the team would have to turn to swing lineman Spencer Anderson to fill that starting void, and that would be a noticeable drop off in skill and productivity.

Thankfully, the Steelers won't go too long without their veteran lineman. If Dulac's insights are correct, Seumalo should be available for the beginning of the regular season at the latest. It also bodes well for the rest of the season, as he won't have to go into the 2025 campaign with a lingering issue that could potentially worsen playing on it.

This is the second straight year that Seumalo has dealt with an injury during training camp. Last season, it took until the end of camp, but he suffered a pectoral injury that bothered him into the early stages of the regular season schedule. This year, the location of the soft tissue injury is not specified, but it's keeping him off the field nonetheless.

Without Seumalo, the Steelers have Anderson as the interim starting left guard. This opens the door for the lesser known players to receive more reps and possibly impress the coaching staff at Saint Vincent's College for training camp.