Pittsburgh Steelers fans got a real fright when their superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt ended up in the hospital over some chest discomfort. Turns out it was a lung issue, and the team put out an official word on it Thursday through spokesperson Burt Lauten.
“T.J. Watt is currently in a local hospital for further medical evaluation of his lung after experiencing discomfort at the practice facility on Wednesday. He will not be at practice on Thursday, and his status for Monday night’s game vs. Miami is in question. Coach Tomlin will provide more updates at the appropriate time.”
Everyone's naturally worried about the guy, but NFL insider Tom Pelissero jumped in to calm things down a bit.
“This is not a major issue,” Pelissero said on Good Morning Football. “Easy for me to say, it’s not my lung, but not any type of a major or long-term issue for T.J. Watt. The issue has been fixed. What he needs now is rest.”
That said, Pelissero figures it's “unlikely” Watt suits up for Monday night's showdown with the Miami Dolphins.
At 31 years old, Watt's been a iron man this season, playing in all 13 of the Steelers' games. He's racked up 53 tackles and seven sacks along the way.
Watt's had his share of injury battles before, but he's stayed pretty durable the last couple of years. Before 2025, he suited up for all 17 games in back-to-back seasons. He earned Pro Bowl nods both times, and in 2023 he grabbed first-team All-Pro honors after topping the league with 19 sacks.
Back in July, the Steelers locked him up with a three-year, $123 million extension. That deal crowned him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at the time though Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson has since topped it.
This all hits at the worst possible moment for Pittsburgh. Sitting at 7-6, they're clinging to first place in the AFC North, but it's no sure thing. The 6-7 Baltimore Ravens are breathing right down their necks. Without Watt, their best guy by far, the Steelers would have to grind out that lead somehow.
After facing the Dolphins in Week 15, Pittsburgh wraps the regular season with games against the Lions and Cleveland Browns.