Two weeks after suffering a partially collapsed lung, T.J. Watt was back on the field for the Steelers.
Watt, who has missed the Steelers’ last two games after undergoing surgery, was at Wednesday’s practice in a limited capacity. He reportedly took part in individual drills as the Steelers gear up to face the Bengals on Sunday.
The 31-year-old’s status for the Week 17 matchup remains unclear.
Nonetheless, Watt’s Pittsburgh teammates were excited to see him back on the field after he suffered the lung injury during a dry needling treatment on Dec. 10.
“T.J. is one of our leaders, so I love having him around,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers told reporters. “Not sure what his status is gonna be, but just his presence, it’s good for our team.”
Linebacker Alex Highsmith said just having Watt, who was picked for the Pro Bowl on Tuesday, back on the field meant a lot to the team’s defense.
“It’s awesome to have him out there,” Highsmith added. “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.”
Watt came into the year with plenty of fanfare after inking a three-year, $123 million contract extension. And he’s certainly lived up to that, leading the Steelers with seven sacks and three forced fumbles.
If Watt is not ready for either of the final two regular season games, he’ll likely have a chance to make a difference in the postseason.
While Pittsburgh has not clinched a playoff spot, it can take the AFC North with a win or tie in Week 17 or 18. One Ravens loss would also give the Steelers the division title.
