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Pittsburgh Steelers DT Daniel Ekuale suspended five games for violating PED policy

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz3 hours agoNickSchultz_7

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale has been suspended for five games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy, the league announced Tuesday. He is currently on injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL.

Ekuale went down with the injury against the Green Bay Packers Oct. 26, ending his season. In seven games this year, he had six tackles, as well as a quarterback hit and a pass defended after signing a one-year contract with the Steelers.

Prior to his arrival in Pittsburgh, Ekuale spent four seasons with the New England Patriots. He began his career with the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him out of Washington State, and the Jacksonville Jaguars before getting to New England in 2021.

The Steelers are coming off a loss to the Chicago Bears this past week at Soldier Field. Pittsburgh took a lead on a strip-sack of Caleb Williams in the end zone, but Chicago rallied and eventually held on for the 31-28 victory for its eighth win of the year.

Aaron Rodgers was not available for the game, which marked a return to the Soldier Field for the first time since he suited up for the rival Green Bay Packers. He is dealing with a fracture in his left wrist, meaning Mason Rudolph got the start under center for the Steelers. Rudolph went 24 of 31 for 171 yards and a touchdown, along with an early interception.

The sense was it wouldn’t be a long-term issue for Rodgers, though. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Sunday he made the decision to sit the veteran quarterback against Chicago out of precaution, and he should be good to go for Pittsburgh’s matchup against the Buffalo Bills this week.

“I anticipate him being ready for next week [against the Buffalo Bills],” Tomlin said Sunday, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “It was a prudent decision to make. Certainly, it wasn’t a fluid week for him. It was a fluid week for Mason in terms of reps and so forth, and so I think it’ll be in our rear view as we move forward. I’m hopeful of that.”

The Steelers are now 6-5 on the season and still in first place in the AFC North heading into Week 13. Kickoff against the Bills is set for Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.