Macafee: Seumalo still filling crucial role amid on-field absence

Veterans play vital roles in locker rooms all across the NFL. They are teachers, mentors, role models and leaders. Despite his on-field absence through the first four weeks of the Steelers' season, Isaac Seumalo has done that and more as he's been a "calming presence" for a young offensive line that has suffered from several season-ending injuries that have caused the team to mix-and-match its personnel on a week-to-week basis.

Nate Herbig tore his rotator cuff in the preseason. Troy Fautanu went down with a knee injury and, lastly, James Daniels, a seven-year vet who has started 84 games in his career, suffered an Achilles injury Sunday in Indianapolis. That's not to mention Seumalo missing the season's first four games with a pectoral injury.

The Steelers have countered those injuries with Broderick Jones' return to the starting lineup, Zach Frazier playing like a seasoned vet at center and Spencer Anderson, a former seventh-round pick with no starting experience, and Mason McCormick, a 2024 fourth-round pick, filling in at guard. After four weeks, it's a group that has started a combined 22 games, with Jones accounting for more than half of that amount.

While Daniels and Dan Moore have been veteran, on-field voices for the group, Seumalo has been a guy both McCormick and Anderson have been able to learn from off the field. They both have started in place of Seumalo this season and if he's not able to return this week, they'll presumably start at both guard positions, whether that means McCormick at left and Anderson at right -- which was how they finished Sunday's game -- or the other way around.

Nonetheless, Seumalo has played a crucial role in their growth.

"Isaac is awesome, he's super knowledgeable, he works extremely hard and I think his intentionality within practice is something that us younger guys can really look at and take something out of his game," McCormick said Wednesday. "He does a terrific job and it's awesome to have."

While McCormick started at left guard this past week and Anderson filled in at right guard when Daniels went down, Anderson was originally the guy who filled in for Seumalo when he suffered his injury before the season-opener against the Falcons.

I asked Anderson about the influence Seumalo has had on him over the past four weeks and he said Seumalo's been a guy he can lean on for different pieces of advice, from how to fix a certain piece of his technique to providing insight during a game. Simply put, he's been a guy that has played a big role in teaching Anderson the intricacies of the league. 

"We'll come off the sideline during a drive and he's like 'Hey, this is how I saw it, or 'Hey, when you get this look, try this' just certain things that he expects, things that he sees that we don't because the game is so slow for him and its obviously fast for us. He points out things as he sees them and sometimes when we come off he's just like (motioning with a shaka hand gesture), nothing to worry about, just keep doing what you're doing."

For example, Anderson referenced a play from Sunday's game when Dayo Odeyingbo pushed him back into the pocket, beat him on the inside and sacked Justin Fields for a four-yard loss. Here, take a look:

In a situation like that, Anderson could've gotten down on himself after giving up a sack on an important two-minute drill where the Steelers were trying to score and cut down the Colts' lead. However, Anderson said Seumalo was able to reassure him and told him not to make any massive changes because of the outcome of one play.

"He was just like it's quick protection, the ball's gotta get out, and we are taught to jump them," Anderson said. "So he was like don't change you're thought process, just trying to motivate me, like that's going to happen, just move on because stuff like that can affect you during a game and he's like a calming presence."

McCormick was just as complimentary of the grizzled veteran who played for the Eagles for the first seven years of his career before joining the Steelers last season and starting all 18 games. McCormick said Seumalo is always giving the younger guys pointers to make things easier for them and "different tricks of the trade. It's been awesome, but it's going to be even better having him out there."

While it's unknown if Seumalo will officially return this week, Mike Tomlin did say Tuesday that he was "excited about the potential of having Isaac [Seumalo] back in the offensive line, especially given some of the attrition that's happened here in recent weeks. He was close last week. I think it's reasonable to assume that he's got a real shot to make it this time around."

Here's a short clip of what Seumalo looked like during Wednesday's practice:

Seumalo didn't speak after practice as he's waiting till he gets a clearer picture of whether he'll play Sunday night or not. But, with the injuries that the Steelers have suffered this season, having Seumalo's calming presence on the field and the sideline will help the unit move forward as it continues to grow and come together this season.