Quarterback Steve Angeli’s health continues to be a major concern as the 2026 Syracuse season approaches. After a brutal 3-9 season in 2025, Orange fans are eager to see him back at full strength.
Steve Angeli Attends Pro Day Despite Lingering Injury
Angeli missed Syracuse’s last 8 games of 2025 due to a torn Achilles tendon, and the rehabilitation process for this injury typically takes 6 to 12 months. As he continues to recover this offseason, he was seen walking around on Monday at Syracuse NFL Pro Day, and there was a slight hitch in his step.
Angeli did not throw to the receivers that were working out for scouts, as Georgetown transfer quarterback Danny Lauter did, according to CNY Central reporter Ashley Wenskoski.
“By spring ball for sure,” Angeli told Syracuse.com in November about his schedule to return to athletic activity. “I’ll be able to partake in practices and throw and do stuff like that. I’m ahead right now. I’m a couple weeks ahead of schedule. I just know that, projecting long-term, by spring ball, I’ll be participating in some capacity.”
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Angeli quickly became the face of Syracuse after losing out in a quarterback competition at Notre Dame to CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey. He finished the 2025 season with 1,317 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions in four games.
He had been leading the nation in passing yards when he went down with the injury during Syracuse’s 34-21 win over Clemson in September, throwing for 244 yards and two touchdowns against Dabo Swinney’s squad.
Angeli’s performance in the 2025 season earned him an 81.3 score in the PFSN College Football QB Impact Metric, ranking No. 50 nationally. He couldn’t do anything with the injury, but his focus for the 2026 season is already clear.
“I was emotional,” Angeli told Syracuse.com. “I didn’t really have any pain. As soon as it happened, I cried a little bit, I’ll be honest. It was just because I know what road it’s on. Immediately, I just felt like I was leaving my team, leaving my brothers. That was the worst part about it…My goal is to come back to the spot where I left off.
“Leading the country in passing and having an explosive offense, making sure we have the pieces and that I can get back to that level.”
Syracuse seemed promising with Angeli on the field, as the Orange averaged over 38 points per game in the contests he started. But his injury completely derailed the remainder of the season, as Syracuse cycled through three different quarterbacks without success.
The Orange ultimately lost all remaining games, each by double digits. The expectation now is that Syracuse will have a strong season with its quarterback fully healthy.
