Pittsburgh Steelers DL/EDGE DeMarvin Leal is expected to miss the rest of the 2024 season due to his neck injury in Week 5’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The PPG’s Gerry Dulac shared the news Saturday morning.
Leal suffered the injury in a scary-looking collision that left him down on the field for several moments before coming off the field under his own power. Here’s a look at the injury: Leal’s head and neck hit awkwardly against Cowboys RB Zeke Elliott.
Leal was ruled out and didn’t return to the game, leaving Pittsburgh thin at outside linebacker. He failed to practice all week and was placed on IR earlier today. While that means he’ll miss at least four games, it doesn’t sound like he’ll have a chance to return this season.
Assuming his year is done, he’ll finish with four tackles, one QB hit, and zero sacks across five games. Though he had an impressive summer to earn his roster spot, DeMarvin Leal has done little since being drafted in the third round of the 2022 draft. To date, he has 33 tackles and one sack in 28 games.
He is the latest Steeler to land on injured reserve. Pittsburgh currently has 11 players on IR, including notable names like first-round rookie OT Troy Fuatanu, OG James Daniels, P Cameron Johnston, and CB Cory Trice Jr.
So far, Pittsburgh has only used two of its eight regular-season designated-to-return slots. Those have been assigned to EDGE Jeremiah Moon and OT Dylan Cook, placed and listed as such as the Steelers trimmed their roster from 90 to 53 in August. Moon has already returned to the team and should start opposite T.J. Watt tomorrow against the Las Vegas Raiders. Cook remains out with his foot injury.
Candidates who could return later this year include LB Tyler Matakevich, WR Ben Skowronek, and Trice.
Leal is the second Steeler to suffer a season-ending neck injury this year, joining rookie S Ryan Watts. He was injured on one of the final snaps of the 2024 preseason.
