T.J. Watt feels ready to return to game action, and the star edge rusher’s arrival couldn’t come at a better time for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Watt will play Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL regular-season finale in Pittsburgh, which will decide the AFC North. The Steelers will make the playoffs with a win or tie but will stay home if they lose to their rivals.
Watt, 31, suffered a partially collapsed lung from a “dry needling” accident in December and missed the past three games. He resumed practice on Dec. 24 but on Friday he was a full practice participant for the first time since the incident.
He also made his first comments to the media since his hospitalization.
“Didn’t feel right,” Watt recounted of the dry needling treatment, intended to stimulate muscle recovery. “Shortly afterwards was in a significant amount of pain. Ended up going to the hospital and, as you guys saw, ended up needing surgery, and the recovery was just different because it was something I wasn’t used to, but I’m very thankful for everybody here. … It’s been very unique, but I feel really good sitting here today.”
He reiterated throughout his interview that he felt “pretty good” and “really good,” adding that he didn’t know if he could say the same one week ago.
Rehab from a collapsed lung was a new experience for the nine-year Steelers veteran.
“It’s not like a knee, so it was all new feelings. It was a surgery I wasn’t very familiar with, but I’m very happy to feel as good as I do right now.”
Watt said he and head coach Mike Tomlin haven’t discussed keeping him on a snap count against Baltimore.
“It’s still so early,” Watt said. “Like I said, I had a great week of practice. I had no limitations. Tried to simulate as much as I could with shoulder pads and stuff like that, but you can only simulate so much. So I feel really good right now. Hoping that’s the case on Sunday as well.”
Watt’s last appearance came in Pittsburgh’s first encounter with Baltimore on Dec. 7. He had six tackles in a 27-22 road win, but the Steelers failed to lock up the division while Watt was sidelined, falling 13-6 to Cleveland last week.
The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year and four-time, first-team All-Pro has 115 sacks, 36 forced fumbles, 14 fumble recoveries and eight interceptions in his 134-game career. In 13 games before his injury, Watt amassed 53 tackles, seven sacks, 18 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
