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With a win over the Detroit Lions in Week 16, the Pittsburgh Steelers have tied their longest win streak of the year with three consecutive victories. However, they remain without star linebacker T.J. Watt, who head coach Mike Tomlin said could potentially return soon.
Tomlin said that Watt, who has missed the team’s last two games, has been in the building throughout the week, but has yet to return to practice, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported. Tomlin added that he expects Watt to talk about “everything going on” later in the week, according to Pryor.
The head coach also noted that Nick Herbig, who also missed the Week 16 game, should be available for the Steelers’ upcoming matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
The entire 2025 season has been a bumpy ride for Watt, who has just seven sacks through 13 games. With just two games remaining in the regular season, he is in danger of failing to achieve a double-digit sack campaign for just the third time in his nine-year career.
Watt’s seven sacks still lead the team, but they are a far cry from the 30.5 he had from 2023 to 2024. His downslide has been magnified by his career rival, Myles Garrett, going off for a career year. Garrett recorded his 22nd sack of the year in Week 16, putting him just 0.5 shy of the NFL single-season record.
Herbig has continued to step up in Watt’s stead and already has a career-high 6.5 sacks in his third season. However, Herbig has not recorded a sack since Week 11.
Despite Watt’s decreased production, the Steelers are still fourth with 43 sacks through Week 16. They have a golden opportunity to build on those numbers in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns, who have allowed the eighth-most sacks in the league.
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