Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled starting outside linebacker T.J. Watt out of this week’s game against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football, head coach Mike Tomlin announced on Friday.
“He had a medical procedure yesterday,” Tomlin said. “He’s been released from the hospital. He’s at home resting comfortably. That’s good news from a medical standpoint, but from a participation standpoint, he’ll be described as out this week for Monday night.”
#Steelers HC Mike Tomlin on T.J. Watt’s situation. Watt will not be playing on Monday. #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/ICa8NiXbvh
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) December 12, 2025
Watt missed his second straight day of practice on Friday while recovering from surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung. Watt suffered the injury after undergoing a dry needling physical therapy treatment at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Wednesday, his brother, J.J. Watt said.
It’s unclear how much time Watt will miss. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Friday that he is expected to return this season. When Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor suffered a similar injury in 2020, he missed four weeks. There are only three weeks remaining in the regular season after the Miami game.
Watt will miss his first game of the season, and his first regular-season game since 2022, when he was out for seven weeks with a pectoral injury. Watt also missed the team’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at the end of the 2023 season and was significantly hobbled by an injury down the stretch run of last season, but did not miss any time.
The Steelers have struggled whenever Watt hasn’t been in the lineup over the course of his career, with an 1-11 mark in games where he has not played at all.
Nick Herbig will start at left outside linebacker in place of Watt. He previously started four games in place of Alex Highsmith on the other side this season. Herbig has 6.5 sacks, 28 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, two passes defended and an interception this season. Watt has seven sacks, 53 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, seven passes defended and an interception.
Behind Herbig and Highsmith, rookie fourth-round draft pick Jack Sawyer will provide the bulk of the depth, with DeMarvin Leal eligible to be called up from the practice squad.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Update T.J. Watt’s Status vs. Dolphins
