Steelers Now
A former offensive lineman of the Pittsburgh Steelers will be sidelined after suffering a significant injury.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman James Daniels will be sidelined for the foreseeable future after suffering a serious injury in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL regular season with the Miami Dolphins.
Daniels suffered a pectoral injury that is expected to keep him out at least a month and land him on injured reserve, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.
Corresponding move: The #Dolphins placed starting RG James Daniels on injured reserve. He's out at least four games. https://t.co/4ipo7iM3tR
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 9, 2025
The 27-year-old joined the Dolphins on a three-year, $24 million contract this offseason to be their starting right guard. Luckily for Miami, it is not expected to be a season-ending injury.
Daniels is also likely grateful that is the case after he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 4 of the 2024 season with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh then decided to move forward with 2024 fourth-round draft pick Mason McCormick at right guard. McCormick replaced Daniels after the injury, starting 14 games.
Daniels first joined the Steelers in 2022, signing a three-year contract with the team as a free agent from the Chicago Bears. He started 17 games in 2022 and 15 games in 2023, all at right guard, before playing just four games this past season.
He was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Bears out of Iowa and played in Chicago until his rookie deal expired.
Daniels’ contract with the Dolphins will add a compensatory draft pick slot for the Steelers, so it will certainly be an injury to monitor as they continue to stockpile picks ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
A native of Warren, Ohio, Daniels committed to play football for the Iowa in July 2014 over schools such as Alabama, Auburn and Ohio State.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Former Steelers Starting OL Suffers Serious Injury
