T.J. Watt Returns to Steelers Facility After Lung Injury, Status for Sunday Still Unclear
There was a welcome sight at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ facility on Thursday: T.J. Watt, back in the building for the first time since suffering a partially collapsed lung last week. While he wasn’t in pads or participating in practice, his presence alone was a positive step forward for a team that’s been dealing with a sudden and serious health scare involving its defensive cornerstone.
Watt’s injury occurred shortly after undergoing a dry needling procedure at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. According to his brother, former NFL star and current CBS Sports analyst J.J.
Watt, the incident led to a brief hospitalization and a procedure to address the collapsed lung. It was a jarring development for one of the league’s most dominant pass rushers - and a reminder of how quickly things can change in the NFL.
As of Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters he wasn’t sure if Watt had been back in the facility since the injury. Watt didn’t practice Wednesday and wasn’t seen by media members at the team’s South Side headquarters. But on Thursday, the Steelers released a photo of Watt enjoying the team’s annual holiday visit from members of the Pittsburgh Symphony, sharing a moment with teammates and getting a bit of normalcy back into his week.
It’s still unclear whether Watt will be available for Sunday’s matchup against the Detroit Lions. Tomlin hasn’t ruled him out, but he’s also offered no timeline or specifics on Watt’s recovery. When asked for an update earlier this week, Tomlin simply said, “No new information.”
J.J. Watt, speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, echoed that uncertainty.
“Yeah, he’s working through it,” he said. “It’s obviously not somewhere that he expected or would like to be.
Just handling the situation day by day and making sure to find the appropriate and proper steps to get back to where he would like to be.”
That day-by-day approach has become the team’s reality, and it’s not just Watt they’re monitoring. Backup outside linebacker Nick Herbig also missed Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury, leaving Pittsburgh dangerously thin at one of its most important positions. If both Watt and Herbig are unavailable, the Steelers could be down to their fourth option at edge rusher - likely rookie Jack Sawyer, a fourth-round pick who’s shown promise but hasn’t yet been tested in a full-time role.
To prepare for the possibility of a depleted outside linebacker group, the Steelers brought in four edge rushers for visits this week and made a familiar move by re-signing Jeremiah Moon from the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. Because Moon was signed off another team’s practice squad, he’s required to remain on Pittsburgh’s active roster for at least three weeks - a strong indication the Steelers are bracing for a short-term absence from at least one of their top pass rushers.
For now, the Steelers are in wait-and-see mode. Watt’s return to the facility is encouraging, but until he’s back on the practice field - or at least cleared to play - the team will have to prepare for life without their defensive anchor. And with a tough Lions team up next, that’s no small challenge.