Skip to main content
Join Now

TJ Watt injury update: Pittsburgh Steelers make decision on LB's status vs. Browns on Sunday

Danby: Daniel Hager12/26/25DanielHagerOn3

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially ruled out All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt (collapsed lung) for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. He returned to practice this week, but will miss his third consecutive game.

A win for Pittsburgh would clinch a postseason berth for the 11th time in the past 16 seasons. Even a loss by the Baltimore Ravens to the Green Bay Packers Sunday night would send the Steelers back to the AFC Playoffs.

Watt has played in 13 games this season. In his ninth NFL season, the four-time First Team All-Pro boasts 53 tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the eighth time, but it remains up in the air whether he’ll play or not.

T.J. Watt has missed three straight games due to lung injury

The Wisconsin alum remains well on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Across his nine year career, Watt has recorded 515 tackles, 115 sacks, 36 forced fumbles, 14 fumble recoveries, and eight interceptions. This season, Pittsburgh’s defense allows 363.1 yards per game (fifth worst in NFL) and 23.3 points per game (17th best in NFL).

“I don’t know if he’s been in the facility yet, because I’ve been in the dark room in the back,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said last week. “He might be in the facility as we speak, and so I don’t have a lot of the answers to that, and I was just trying to be transparent when I said I didn’t have any new information as I stood here today.”

Watt’s brother, famed NFL defender J.J. Watt, provided an update with some new information a as of earlier this month: “Yesterday TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility,” the retired former NFL star posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“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.”

On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this article.