Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Gives Great News on T.J. Watt Injury

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin gave a positive outlook on the injury status of outside linebacker T.J. Watt.

Oct 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90)gets ready to take the field against the New York Giants during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Despite sustaining an ankle injury against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin provided some good news on the status and availability of outside linebacker T.J. Watt moving forward.

During his Tuesday press conference, Tomlin stated that Watt could be characterized as "questionable" for Pittsburgh's upcoming bout with the Baltimore Ravens, and that he may begin the week as a partial participant in practice while the team evaluates his readiness for game action.

Tomlin also added that he saw Watt "walking around comfortably" in the Steelers' facility on Monday and is optimistic about his chances to play on Saturday.

The 30-year-old star pass rusher went down with his injury late in the fourth quarter in Philadelphia as he beat offensive tackle Lane Johnson around the edge and manuevered his way into the backfield. From there, he went down to the ground and later headed to the medical blue tent for further evaluation.

In the locker room postgame, Watt told reporters that he rolled his ankle on the play and that X-rays were negative. Furthermore, he stated that he would "wait and see" if he could suit up in Week 16 versus Baltimore.

As of now, all indications point towards the Steelers and Watt avoiding a worst-case scenario. It remains to be seen if he can work his way back to a point where he can make a true impact over the coming weeks as the regular season comes to a close, but Tomlin's optimism regarding his availability and potential timeline for a return is a great sign for the Steelers.

Watt picked up two of Pittsburgh's three sacks against Philadelphia to boost his season total to 11.5, tied for the third-most in the NFL. The six-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year is vital to the team's success, so having him healthy for an opportunity to clinch the AFC North in Baltimore would be a huge boost.

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