Mike Tomlin didn’t have many specifics when he spoke Thursday about T.J. Watt’s lung issue that hospitalized him after experiencing discomfort while getting treatment at the team facility. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero filled in many of the gaps with a Friday morning report.
“My understanding of the timeline is this. T.J. Watt came into the facility on Wednesday morning, which was actually a player’s day off. He was coming in for a lift and just felt like he was having some pain. He actually went through, did his lift, did his workout, then went for his normal treatment, was still having pain, and so they decided to get him checked out,” Pelissero said on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “Initially they thought maybe it could be a collarbone issue based on where the pain was. They ruled that out. They then sent him for X-rays on his rib. Those came back negative. They did some additional tests that showed a small issue, like a tiny hole in his lung.”
“So at this point, this is not a major issue. Not any type of major long-term issue for T.J. Watt. The issue has been fixed. What he needs now is rest.”
After hearing that the lung discomfort started during treatment on Wednesday, it was fair to wonder if something similar to the Tyrod Taylor missed injection happened to Watt. Pelissero ruled that possibility out.
Never rule a Watt out from anything when it comes to getting back on the field in a hurry, but Pelissero states that it’s unlikely he plays on Monday. Just a few days removed from the lung problem, Pelissero says this is not a toughness issue. Watt can’t simply push through the pain when it comes to a damaged organ. But it does sound possible that he could play relatively soon. Pelissero stated multiple times that this is a minor issue and even went as far as to say it’s now “fixed.” Given a week off to rest and heal, perhaps Watt will be good to go in Week 16.
Some of his teammates chimed in yesterday wishing him a speedy recovery and confirmed that he was doing well in the hospital. It’s unclear if he is still in the hospital, but if so, he should be on his way home to rest sooner rather than later.
Football aside, it seems like Watt avoided a myriad of other potentially scary medical conditions. That is obviously great news for Pittsburgh’s beloved star, a husband and father of an infant baby.
Don’t expect Watt to practice on Friday or Saturday, but maybe Mike Tomlin will give one last update to formalize what Pelissero is now reporting.
If Watt is out of the lineup Monday as expected, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig will be the starting linebackers on the outside with rookie Jack Sawyer the top depth option off the bench. Herbig has already started four games this season with injuries to Highsmith, so he should be more than ready to fill in.