The Pittsburgh Steelers could be shorthanded against the Detroit Lions.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Pittsburgh Steelers stars T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig didn't practice on Thursday.
That means both players could miss Sunday's against the Detroit Lions.
Watt had successful surgery last Thursday to repair a partially collapsed lung that he sustained after a dry needling session at the team practice facility. It's unknown if Watt will play again in 2025. Surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung is a very serious surgery, so the Steelers won't rush Watt back.
"I got no new news on T.J.," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. "I'm sure I will a little later in the week, but I hadn't heard any new updates regarding his availability or what that looks like as he starts to work his way back to us this week. And so no real news there."
Meanwhile, Herbig is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Watt has 7.0 sacks, 22 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 18 QB hits this season, while Herbig has 6.5 sacks, 20 solo tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 17 QB hits.
"I don't know if he's been in the facility yet because I've been in the dark room in the back," Tomlin said. "He might be in the facility as we speak. And so I don't have a lot of the answers to that and I was just trying to be transparent when I said I didn't have any new information as I stood here today."
The Steelers, who are in first place in the AFC North, are 8-6. Pittsburgh hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 season, but the franchise has been the model of consistency in the regular season.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Steelers are one win away from having a winning season for the 22nd consecutive year.