The Pittsburgh Steelers released a statement on Thursday saying that linebacker T.J. Watt had been hospitalized a day earlier for an evaluation of his lung after feeling discomfort at the team’s practice facility.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin addressed the situation on Thursday following practice as Pittsburgh began preparing for its game against the visiting Miami Dolphins on Monday night at Acrisure Stadium.
“I'm a little bit cautious about what I say, because I am not a medical expert," Tomlin said. "But to make a long story short, he was experiencing some discomfort when he was at the facility yesterday. So, we took him to the docs, and they're going through some procedures. He stayed overnight in the hospital.
"He has a lung situation that's being addressed. I think he has some testing and so forth ahead of him this afternoon, and that's all I know at this juncture. He and I communicated last night; he was comfortable, and that's all I have really at this point.”
Tomlin said it was too soon to tell if Watt would be able to play against the Dolphins.
"His status for Monday night is really up in the air,” Tomlin said. “I think what transpires this afternoon is going to provide more information for us. I just don't have a lot as I stand here today."
Tomlin said the Steelers do not know what caused Watt’s discomfort or when it was determined that he needed to be hospitalized.
"I don't know specifically when it occurred," Tomlin said. "I know he was in the cafeteria at one point, and that's kind of when I got wind of it."
Tomlin was asked if Watt was dealing with anything that would have had him on the injury report at any point.
"Not to my knowledge at all, particularly in game or after the game, nothing," Tomlin said.
Watt has been selected to seven Pro Bowls and is a four-time All-Pro. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 when he had an NFL record-tying 22 ½ sacks, equaling the mark set by Michael Strahan in 2001 for the New York Giants.
The Steelers signed Watt to a three-year, $123-million contract in July, including $108 million in guaranteed money. He has struggled at times this season and has just seven sacks in 13 games for a team that is 28th in the NFL in total defense.