Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt suffered a partially collapsed lung after undergoing a dry needling treatment session at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Wednesday, his brother J.J. Watt announced via social media on Friday.
Dry needling is an acupuncture-like physical therapy treatment used by physical therapists to treat pain and movement impairments.
J.J. Watt also confirmed that his brother had successful surgery to repair the damage and that he is being released from the hospital today.
T.J. Watt is considered unlikely to play this Monday when the Steelers host the Miami Dolphins, but he is expected to make a full recovery. His specific timeframe for return remains to be determined. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, he is expected to play again this season.
Yesterday TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility.
Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today.
He and his…
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 12, 2025
Watt had been exercising at the team’s facility during a players’ off day on Wednesday before undergoing the treatment. After he complained of extreme pain, and initial testing revealed no obvious damage, he was taken to a hospital for observation and further testing.
The injury appears to be similar to the one suffered by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor in 2020, when a member of the team’s medical staff inadvertently punctured his lung while attempting to administer a painkilling shot. Taylor ended up missing four weeks.
The NFLPA is aware of the details surrounding the incident, and could begin an investigation.
Nick Herbig will start at left outside linebacker for the Steelers on Monday night against the Dolphins. Watt will miss his first regular-season game since 2022, when he missed seven games with a pectoral injury.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Cause of Lung Injury for Steelers OLB T.J. Watt Revealed
