The Steelers will have to wait a little bit longer to welcome TJ Watt back to the lineup after the star linebacker reportedly had surgery to correct an issue unrelated to his torn pectoral muscle.
Watt, who has been sidelined since Week 1, recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery that is expected to delay his return to action, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor and Adam Schefter reported Saturday. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year has not played since exiting in the closing moments of Pittsburgh’s Week 1 overtime win over the Bengals on Sept. 11.
Pittsburgh placed Watt on injured reserve on Sept. 15, two days after it was reported that the 27-year-old could return in six weeks after avoiding season-ending surgery. However, according to Pryor and Schefter, Watt’s return could now be pushed back by an additional one to two weeks as he recovers from knee surgery.
Pryor and Schefter noted Watt elected to have the procedure to “clean up a preseason injury that lingered into the regular season.” The All-Pro pass-rusher notably left the Steelers’ preseason finale against the Lions after taking a low block from former Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson in the second quarter. He was subsequently ruled out before halftime, though coach Mike Tomlin said at the time Watt could’ve played if it was a regular season game.
As the team continues to monitor Watt’s status, Saturday’s news indicates the club will have to play the waiting game in order to ensure the star’s knee and pec respond well to treatment.
Based on the new timeline, a Week 8 game against the Eagles in Philadelphia appears to no longer be on the table for Watt, setting him for a return either after the Steelers’ bye in Week 9 when facing the Saints at home (Week 10) or on the road versus the Colts on Monday Night Football (Week 11).
In the meantime, the Steelers (1-3) will have to find ways to win without Watt as the club enters a Week 5 game against the Bills (3-1) in Buffalo. Since Watt’s rookie season in 2017, the Steelers are 0-7 when he doesn’t play, including 0-3 this year.
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