Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher TJ Watt has returned to practice.
Pittsburgh Steelers superstar pass rusher TJ Watt returned to practice on Wednesday. Watt was limited, but it was his first time at practice since suffering a partially collapsed lung that required surgery.
Watt is one of the best defensive players, as he has 53 total tackles, seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 18 quarterback hits this season.
He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022, as he had 64 total tackles, an NFL record 22.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 39 quarterback hits.
Watt's NFL sack record, which he holds with Michael Strahan, could be broken by Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett in the Steelers-Browns matchup on Sunday.
This is an important matchup for Pittsburgh, as a win over the Browns would clinch the AFC North. The Steelers could clinch the division before the game if the Green Bay Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
Adding Watt back to their defense would be a major boost for Pittsburgh. He is one of the best pass rushers in the league and will make things easier on the rest of the pass rushers.
Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith both have 6.5 sacks, while Keeanu Benton has 5.5 sacks, and Cameron Heyward has 3.5 sacks.
Watt will command double teams and the attention from offenses, which will allow the other pass rushers to get one-on-one opportunities.
Pittsburgh's defense didn't have its best performance in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions, but stopped the Lions' offense in key moments, including the final play, where Amon-Ra St. Brown was penalized for offensive pass interference for pushing off Jalen Ramsey.
The Steelers have been on a roll of late, as they've won their last three games. Having Watt back would be helpful in the final games. However, if he needs more time, Pittsburgh has the luxury of only needing a Ravens loss or a win of their own to punch their ticket to the postseason.
Watt will likely be back in the lineup at least for the playoffs, which could help the Steelers as they look to make a deep playoff run.