Steelers' T.J. Watt returns to practice for first time since lung surgery
Watt's status for Sunday's game vs. Cleveland is still unclear
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The Pittsburgh Steelers are riding high following their Week 16 upset victory over the Detroit Lions, and are the clear-cut frontrunners in the AFC North with a 9-6 record. To add to the good vibes, Mike Tomlin's defense is getting closer to returning their most important player.
On Wednesday, star pass rusher T.J. Watt attended practice for the first time since undergoing lung surgery after a dry needling mishap, though he was listed as a limited participant. Coach Tomlin said that Watt's status for the Week 17 matchup against the Cleveland Browns is unclear right now, but this was clearly a step in the right direction.
"It's awesome to have him out there," fellow pass rusher Alex Highsmith said, via ESPN. "Just seeing him back out in the field with us, he's getting better every single day, so I think just to have him back out there, just as a leader for our group, it's just awesome to see. Excited to see how he continues to work his way back."
Two weeks ago, Watt went to a Pittsburgh hospital after experiencing discomfort in his chest. That led to him undergoing surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung.
"Yesterday TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility," Watt's brother, J.J. Watt, posted on social media on Dec. 12. "Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today. He and his family are very appreciative of everyone's kind words and well wishes."
Watt recorded 53 combined tackles, 10 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception in the first 13 games of the season. The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is the league leader in forced fumbles (36) and QB hits (243) since being selected with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and has recorded the fifth-most sacks in a player's first nine seasons all-time with 115.0.
The Steelers can officially clinch the AFC North with a win over the Browns on Sunday, or a Baltimore Ravens loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. Pittsburgh is looking to extend a three-game win streak, in which the team is averaging 28 points per game.
