Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt had successful surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung.
The Pittsburgh Steelers face the Detroit Lions this week and it's unknown if superstar defender T.J. Watt will play.
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.
"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."
Watt has 7.0 sacks, 22 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 18 QB hits this season for the Steelers, who are in first place in the AFC North. The Black and Gold are 8-6.
"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."
Watt signed a three-year, $123 million extension in July. He's one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.
A future Hall of Famer, Watt has 115.0 sacks with the Steelers. He won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2021.
The Steelers have three games left in the regular season. They face the Lions, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.
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.
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.