The Pittsburgh Steelers are locked in a tight race with the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North crown. Every game is crucial as we are quickly approaching the end of the regular season.
One of the team’s most important players is star edge-rusher T.J. Watt. This week, Watt had to be hospitalized after suffering a lung issue while receiving treatment at the team facility. Unfortunately, he will not play tonight against the Miami Dolphins.
More on T.J. Watt’s Health Issue
NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on Thursday that Watt had to be hospitalized due to a lung injury. It’s worth noting that the injury occurred while he was receiving treatment.
This situation evokes memories of an incident involving quarterback Tyrod Taylor from 2020. While receiving treatment during a game, a team doctor inadvertently punctured Taylor’s lung and caused it to collapse.
On Friday morning, NFL insider Tom Pelissero appeared on “Good Morning Football” and offered an update on Watt. “They did some additional testing that showed a small issue, a tiny hole in his lung,” Pelissero explained. “This is not a major issue. Not any type of long-term issue for T.J., the issue has been fixed. What he needs now is rest.”
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“You never rule out a guy like T.J. Watt, but it does seem unlikely that he’s going to play on Monday night,” the insider said.
Later in the day, J.J. Watt provided an update on his brother’s health. “Yesterday, TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered on Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility,” he wrote on X. “Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well, and he is being released from the hospital today. He and his family are very appreciative of everyone’s kind words and well wishes.”
Since Watt is unable to play against the Dolphins, it’ll be the first game he’s missed since the 2022 season. Hopefully, his situation isn’t as serious and will be resolved quickly.
Watt Injury Comes at Critical Time for Steelers
Watt is one of the best in the league at his position, and with every game being of crucial importance, the Steelers can’t afford to be without him.
In 2024, Watt has collected 61 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and zero interceptions. PFSN’s Edge Impact ranking gives Watt an elite 87.6 grade for his performance, which ranks sixth among 125 qualified edge rushers, so far for 2025.
Watt leads the Steelers in sacks this season. In his absence, rookie Jack Sawyer will likely play a larger role on defense.
The Steelers enter Week 15 with a 7-6 record and a one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. After this weekend, the Steelers finish their regular season with games against the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and Ravens.
Pittsburgh Steelers’ Stats and Insights for Week 15
Team:Â The Steelers are 0-5 when they have multiple turnovers and 7-1 when committing one or no turnovers.
QB: Aaron Rodgers’ 34 pass attempts against the Ravens matched the 3rd most this season. He also passed for a season-high 284 yards; his previous best this season was 249 in Week 7.
Offense:Â The Ravens held the Steelers to 34 rush yards in Week 14. It was the fewest rushing yards in a regular-season game by the Steelers since 2020. Baltimore held Pittsburgh to 29 rush yards in the playoffs last season.
Defense:Â T.J. Watt is sixth in the NFL with an EDGEi score for the season (87.6, B+). He has had a B+ or better in every season since 2019.
Fantasy: DK Metcalf is coming off his best game of the season, catching seven passes for 148 yards on 12 targets. All of those numbers were season highs. He still has just two games with 20+ fantasy points all season and has crested double-digit fantasy points in three of his last eight.
