Ekuale started 16 games for New England in 2024.
Daniel Ekuale, who spent the last four seasons as a part-time starter along the New England Patriots defensive line, will not be back in Foxboro in 2025. The veteran free agent has signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to his agent, Blake Baratz.
Details of the deal have not been announced yet.
Ekuale, 31, entered the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted rookie out of Washington State. A member of both the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars over the first three years of his career, he found his way to New England in 2021.
After starting out on the practice squad but seeing regular action as a game-day elevation, he managed to crack the defensive tackle rotational by his second season with the team. Ekuale continued to play a noteworthy role up front through his 2024, campaign, totaling 42 games and 16 starts as a Patriots.
Those 16 starts all came in 2024, when Ekuale was elevated to a top role up front following Christian Barmore’s blood clots diagnosis. He ended the year with 722 defensive snaps (64.6%), 52 tackles and 8 quarterback pressures, including a sack.
Now joining the Steelers, Ekuale becomes the third veteran defensive lineman to leave the Patriots over the last week. Before him, the team traded Davon Godchaux to the New Orleans Saints and saw fellow free agent Deatrich Wise Jr. sign a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders.