9:40pm: Mike Giardi of NFL Network reports that a source has informed him that Harris’s foot injury is not considered serious. This is extremely optimistic news for the Steelers considering they were forced to turn to undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren in Harris’s absence.
4:08pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets that Watt will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine if his and the team’s fears of a torn pectoral muscle are indeed true.
3:59pm: The Steelers have suffered injuries to arguably their two most irreplaceable players. Edge rusher T.J. Watt and running back Najee Harris have each been ruled out of the remainder of the team’s contest against the Bengals with pectoral and foot injuries, respectively (Twitter link via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). 
Watt appeared to suffer his injury in the fourth quarter. When walking off the field, he seemed to indicate that he had torn his pectoral muscle, Pryor’s colleague Field Yates tweets. Any significant absence for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year could be crippling for the Steelers.
Watt led the league in sacks for the second straight year in 2021, notching 22.5. That provided a fruitful return on investment for Pittsburgh, after they signed him to a four-year, $112MM deal in the lead-up to the campaign. The 27-year-old was only eclipsed by Aaron Donald this summer as the league’s highest-paid defender with annual average of over $28MM per year.
Even with Watt at full health, depth in the edge rush department had been seen as a need for the team this offseason. As a result, it came as little surprise when they traded for Malik Reed from the Broncos. He would be next in line to take on a starting role, and Pittsburgh would need to be active in looking for veteran additions in a similar vein to their Melvin Ingram addition last season.
The fact that Harris’ injury was a foot ailment is also concerning, given that fact that he suffered a Lisfranc sprain in training camp. He had recovered in time to play the Steelers’ season opener, though he only received 10 carries before exiting the game. After his Pro Bowl rookie season last year, Harris is expected to once again be a focal point of the team’s offense and would represent a massive loss in the event of an extended absence.
The Steelers have beaten the Bengals after a wild overtime finish, but the victory may very well have come at an enormous cost.
Najee Harris is not one of their two most irreplaceable players or close. Come on.
Not irreplaceable? Dude had the 4th most all purpose yards last year.
He’s clearly a central and focal point of the offense. And not someone you can easily replace with next man up.
Of course he had a ton of yards last year. He led the league in touches. He’s still a running back, and he’s more replaceable than Watt, Heyward, and Fitzpatrick by a country mile, and I’d argue Johnson and Claypool, too.
The Steelers have a decent receiving core with Johnson Feiermuth Claypool Pickens.
They don’t have much depth at RB considering the backup is a rookie UDFA in Warren Jr.
Which is why Harris is considered more irreplaceable. You also just debunked your own post lmao. Youre right. Harris had a lot of touches. And the offense is going to change with Harris being out. Backup may not see the same workload Harris would……almost like Harris is a vital part of the offense or something
There are always decent running backs available. There are not always decent players at those other positions available. If he were so irreplaceable, they wouldn’t work him like a rented mule.
“Team shouldn’t use its best player on offense as much!”
Great strategy coach. You playing for a participation trophy?
Or they justified the goofy decision to take a running back in the first round by over feeding him. They had the fourth lowest yards per carry of any team last year and it was mostly him. You can say he’s their best player, but handing him the ball wasn’t an effective strategy. You playing for a total all purpose yards trophy, coach?
lead the league in touches is the definition of irreplaceable.. they weren’t giving it to him that often for no reason.
guy can catch, block, break tackles .. he’s permanently on the field cuz he can do it all
They were giving it to him that many times because they trusted their defense and not the desiccated remains of Big Ben. Several players on that defense are harder to replace than almost any running back in the league, let alone one who offered 3.9 ypc. I like Harris. He’s a good player. He’s not one of the two most irreplaceable players on that team or even close.
I could agree that their usage of him bordered on insanity, given that line. I would further say his injury is no surprise. In fact, amazed it didn’t happen sooner. I get all that. Again
Makes little sense they drafted a stud and didn’t spend on a complete upgrade of their line to get him holes to run through
But saying he is ‘not even close’ is pure lunacy
Whether it was at Alabama or in flashes here, there just aren’t many backs like him. Period.
But apples and oranges
As is, with poor play calling and o-line play, maybe you’re right
In terms of sheer talent, I respectfully disagree
Ok. It just struck me as a wild statement on a team with Heyward, Fitzpatrick, and two very good receivers.
I like Cam but in a football sense, he’s seen more yesterdays than he ever will tomorrows. And yeah, they have some good receivers. But cmon. Najee is their future. Granted, their usage of him defies logic within that thinking.
If a running back is your future, you’ve got a problem with your future.
Maybe you are referring to his talent largely being negated by a poor o-line and poorer play calls by an inept OC. I get that. But he’s one hell of a talent who defenses are aware of
Watt looked like he was in pain. You know he was bad when he came off at that time of the game. Not a Steeler fan but enjoy watching the Watt’s play. Hope it isn’t too serious.
Next man up in the Burgh.
Watt will hurt, but Heyward and Minkah will find a way to lead the D. And Snell can be a hard runner; team him up with Warren and they can manage for a few weeks.
I’m glad they traded for Reed .. their defense is still really good without Watt, but they can still win dawg fights
LeVeon Bell’s available.
lol especially after that huge KO of AP
Watt is clearly done for the year.
THAT was a great game.
You can keep all of the 47-39 flag football games you like, give me an ugly battle like this one.
Steelers football
The Steelers aren’t winning anything this year anyway. Not a hater but come on. This team is in semi rebuild mode at best. Tomlin lol win more than he loses but they will be one and done if they made the playoffs.
only thing that needs rebuilt is the o-line… this roster is stacked at pretty much every other position assuming Kenny is solid