Steelers Ekuale Makes Strong Case For Starting Nose Tackle After Sunday

From a statistical standpoint, veteran nose tackle Daniel Ekuale may not have delivered eye-popping numbers, but his contribution to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive front in Sunday’s win over the New England Patriots was exactly the kind of stability the team has been seeking at the position.

Although he didn’t record a sack, Ekuale finished with two solo tackles and one tackle for loss, demonstrating strong gap discipline and physicality in limited snaps. His ability to anchor the interior played a key role in containing New England’s ground game, which was held without a rushing touchdown.

By contrast, current starting nose tackle Keeanu Benton registered just one solo tackle and struggled to generate disruption at the line of scrimmage. His ongoing inconsistency in maintaining gap integrity—dating back to his Week 1 performance against the New York Jets—has raised legitimate concerns about his fit at the position.

Perhaps the most telling indicator of Ekuale’s impact was his Pro Football Focus grade of 79.7, the third-highest on the Steelers’ defense, trailing only fellow defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and linebacker Jabrill Peppers.

With Pittsburgh’s run defense still searching for consistency, a lineup change may be imminent. If Ekuale continues to outperform Benton in both production and grading, the coaching staff may have little choice but to expand his role moving forward.