Isaac Seumalo’s season debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers will be delayed at least another week. On September 28, the team announced that Seumalo has been ruled out for the Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Spencer Anderson will continue to start at left guard for the Steelers, marking his fourth consecutive game in that role.
Seumalo, who started all 17 games for Pittsburgh last season, joined the team during the 2023 offseason on a three-year, $24 million deal. In his first season with the Steelers, Seumalo was rated as their top offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus.
Additionally, the Steelers announced on September 28 that running back Aaron Shampkin and defensive back Thomas Graham have been elevated from the practice squad for Week 4.
Shampkin is set to make his NFL regular-season debut, while Graham last played in an NFL game for the Cleveland Browns in 2022.
Isaac Seumalo Out for Week 4 The Steelers will miss Seumalo again this week, but his absence is not a surprise.
Although Seumalo has been recovering well, he was limited in practice leading up to the Colts game. He was officially listed as doubtful on September 27 after practicing in a limited capacity during the week.
Seumalo suffered a pectoral injury on August 28 and only returned to practice on September 25. Fortunately, he avoided surgery, which would have ended his season, and is expected to return within a month, as reported by Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
With 77 career starts over eight seasons, Seumalo is Pittsburgh’s most experienced and highest-performing lineman.
Steelers Elevate RB Aaron Shampkin, DB Thomas Graham While Seumalo remains sidelined, Pittsburgh will push forward with a patched-up offensive line. They are also managing injuries at the quarterback position, with Justin Fields expected to start again due to Russell Wilson’s lingering calf issue.
The Steelers also officially ruled out running back Jaylen Warren on September 27 because of a knee injury.
As a result, Najee Harris and Cordarrelle Patterson are expected to handle most of the rushing duties against the Colts, with Shampkin providing additional depth.
Shampkin, an undrafted free agent from 2022, initially signed with the Dallas Cowboys and later spent time on the Colts’ practice squad. He joined the Steelers’ practice squad after this summer’s training camp and will now have the chance to play his first regular-season NFL snap.
Graham will add depth to the secondary, which has also been hit by injuries. Veterans DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson practiced fully on September 27 after appearing on the injury report earlier in the week.
Graham, who played 11 games with the Browns from 2021-2022, recorded 19 tackles, including one for a loss, while contributing on both defense and special teams.
