T.J. Watt’s Return Remains Murky
DECEMBER 24: Watt returned to practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. His participation alone is a good sign for his health and indicates that he could play again this season, though the Steelers will understandably be cautious before exposing Watt to full-contact action. Also back at practice was third-year edge rusher Nick Herbig, per Pryor, who missed Sunday’s win over the Lions with a hamstring injury,
DECEMBER 22: Steelers star T.J. Watt has missed the past two games while recovering from surgery on a partially collapsed lung. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like he’s any closer to a return.
[RELATED: Steelers’ T.J. Watt Undergoes Surgery On Partially Collapsed Lung]
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the pass rusher’s return to play “remains murky and uncertain.” At the moment, Watt’s focus is solely on his recovery, with his potential return to field being considered “secondary.”
Of course, as the Steelers push for a playoff spot, Watt’s potential return will still command attention. Per Schefter, doctors will continue to monitor how Watt feels this week to determine if it’s even possible for him to suit up for Sunday’s matchup against the Browns. However, the ideal path would see Watt garner “more time to recover.” The former Defensive Player of the Year is expected to make a full recovery.
Watt was admitted to the hospital earlier this month with a lung injury. It was later determined that the collapsed lung was a result of a common dry needling procedure that he underwent at the team facility. He was quickly released from the hospital, but he’s yet to take the field since his injury.
The NFLPA was subsequently in contact with the player’s camp, although it’s uncertain if they’ll take any action against the Steelers franchise. Tyrod Taylor famously suffered a punctured lung while receiving a pain-killing injection in 2020; he later sued the Chargers for medical malpractice. After Watt inked a three-year extension this past offseason that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, it’s uncertain if he would look to take such a drastic stance against the franchise.
While the off-the-field narrative is worth watching, the Steelers are currently focused on their on-the-field product. Despite Watt being out of the lineup, the Steelers have won each of their past two games to take a two-game lead in the AFC North. A Watt-less defense would surely impact the team’s ability to make noise in the playoffs, but the Steelers can rest easy about their postseason chances regardless of the pass rusher’s status.
Steelers’ T.J. Watt Undergoes Surgery On Partially Collapsed Lung
DECEMBER 13: Dry needling is a common treatment for NFL players to relieve muscle pain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Watt felt “extreme pain” after his dry needling session on Wednesday and was quickly sent to the hospital for treatment and further evaluation.
DECEMBER 12: Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt was admitted to the hospital with a lung injury on Wednesday. Watt has since undergone successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung, his brother J.J. Watt announced. He’ll be released from the hospital on Friday.
While Watt is expected to make a full recovery, head coach Mike Tomlin announced that he will not play on Monday against the Dolphins (via Brooke Pryor of ESPN). The seven-time Pro Bowler is expected to return this season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Watt’s collapsed lung came as a result of a dry needling procedure he underwent at the team facility. The NFLPA has been in contact with Watt and his representation since then, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. It’s unclear if Watt or the union will take any action against the Steelers. Then-Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor suffered a punctured lung while receiving a pain-killing injection in September 2020. Two years later, he sued the Chargers’ doctor for medical malpractice.
Taylor received medical clearance to return to action a month after he punctured his lung. It seems Watt will come back quicker than that, though even a one-game absence is unwelcome news at this stage of the season. With four weeks remaining, the 7-6 Steelers are trying to hold off the Ravens (6-7) and Bengals (4-9) for the AFC North title. It’ll be more difficult to do so without Watt, who will miss his 12th career game in Week 15. The Steelers have gone 1-10 without him, Armando Salguero of OutKick notes.
The 31-year-old Watt has continued serving as one of Pittsburgh’s most effective players this season. He has racked up 53 tackles, 10 TFL, a team-high seven sacks, and three forced fumbles in 13 games. The Steelers have two other strong edge rushers in Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, who have totaled 6.5 sacks apiece. They and fourth-round rookie Jack Sawyer, who has notched one sack while playing under 20% of defensive snaps, will have to pick up the slack while Watt’s out.
Steelers OLB T.J. Watt Hospitalized With Lung Injury
DECEMBER 12: Testing at the Steelers’ facility revealed a “tiny hole” in one of Watt’s lungs, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports (video link). That led to his hospitalization, and the issue has been addressed. A final determination for Week 15 has not yet been made, but Pelissero deems it unlikely that Watt – who merely needs time to recover at this point – will be available for Monday.
DECEMBER 11: Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt has been hospitalized due to a lung injury, per a team announcement.
The injury happened while Watt was receiving medical treatment at the Steelers’ facility on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Head coach Mike Tomlin said on Thursday (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) that Watt is still in the hospital undergoing additional testing which will determine his status for their Week 15 matchup against the Dolphins.
Watt, 31, has started all 13 of the Steelers’ games this season with an 82% snap share. He is having another excellent season with seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss, which rank first and second on the team. He has also been credited with 43 pressures, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) which lead the Steelers and rank 19th in the NFL.
In other words, an absence from Watt would be a major blow to Pittsburgh’s defense, though they are positioned to withstand it in the short-term. The four-time All-Pro almost exclusively lines up on the left side of the defense with Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig splitting snaps on the right side. One of the two – likely Herbig – can fill some of Watt’s snaps off the left edge
Rookie Jack Sawyer will also be in line for some more opportunities. The second-round pick has appeared in every game this year but played just 182 snaps (19.4% snap share) without much production. Sawyer has primarily rotated in for Watt on the left side and should see an uptick if he cannot play. That could also result in a practice squad elevation for fourth-year defensive end DeMarvin Leal.
The Steelers will be monitoring Watt’s condition carefully over the next few days to evaluate his availability for Monday night’s game.
T.J. Watt Aiming To Play Several More Seasons; Payton Wilson Moving Toward Steelers’ Starting Lineup
As the Steelers have another contract issue with Cameron Heyward, the other half of the team’s longstanding pass-rushing duo will attempt to follow his career path. T.J. Watt, the second member of the NFL’s $40MM-per-year defender club, is not aiming to call it quits in the near future.
Although T.J. Watt watched brother J.J. Watt retire at 33 due largely to a heart condition, the All-Pro Steelers defender does not plan on retiring anytime soon. The recently extended outside linebacker said (via the Pat McAfee Show’s Mark Kaboly) he will aim to follow Heyward’s path and play several more seasons.
Entering Year 9, Watt already appears to have done enough to secure Hall of Fame entry. The 2017 first-round pick is a four-time first-team All-Pro, matching Michael Strahan‘s official single-season sack record and doing so in just 15 games back in 2021. While J.J. Watt is the only player in NFL history to have two official 20-sack seasons, T.J. nearly landed there after following up his 22.5-sack slate with a 19-sack 2023. T.J. Watt is the only NFLer to lead the league in sacks three times.
Watt’s third contract — a three-year, $123MM deal with a whopping $108MM guaranteed at signing — runs through the 2028 season. Staying at, or even near, his current form will call for another record — or near-record — payday by 2028. The Steelers neither negotiate in-season or hammer out extensions for non-contract-year players; this complicates Heyward’s contract quest ahead of his age-36 season. Watt (31 in October), however, has been able to bend the team on post-Year 1 guarantees — a path the organization does not like to traverse.
In terms of official sacks (since 1982), T.J. Watt is already in 31st (108) on the list. He is 15 away from the top 20. Motoring to a lucrative fourth contract, provided he can stay close to the stratospheric pace he has started on, could move the Steeler sack ace onto hallowed ground. Tenth place (Richard Dent/John Randle) is less than 30 sacks away (137.5). The only active players ahead of Watt on the list are much closer to the end of their respective careers — Von Miller (129.5), Cameron Jordan (121.5), Calais Campbell (110.5).
Shifting to Pittsburgh’s inside linebacker position, Patrick Queen looks close to having a new full-time running mate. Payton Wilson, a 2024 third-round pick, appears likely to see his usage increase from the 45% snap share he earned as a rookie. The NC State product — the 2023 Butkus award winner — is believed to be “miles ahead” in the race to play alongside Queen, Kaboly adds. Wilson started four of 17 games last season.
The Steelers also have Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison at linebacker, but neither is projected to be a regular option at this point. Holcomb signed with the team to work as such and had been a starter before a severe knee injury, sustained in November 2023, kept him off the field throughout 2024. After a pay-cut agreement, Holcomb is due a nonguaranteed $2MM this year. The Steelers can cut the former Washington starter free of charge until his salary becomes guaranteed shortly before Week 1.
Harrison started 34 games with the Ravens, including seven last season after he eventually became the team’s Queen replacement alongside Roquan Smith. The Ravens let Harrison walk, and the Steelers added him on a two-year, $10MM deal. Harrison, 27, figures to have a role. But Pro Football Focus, on the strength of Wilson’s coverage ability, graded him as a top-20 ILB as a rookie. PFF slotted Wilson as a top-10 off-ball LB in coverage. Harrison does stand to provide insurance against Wilson not ascending as the Steelers hope.
Pittsburgh cleared a path for Wilson by letting two-year ILB starter Elandon Roberts defect to Las Vegas in free agency. Wilson and Roberts, though, had effectively split time. The latter carried a 44% snap rate in 2024. Wilson, who entered the NFL after having suffered season-ending injuries twice in college, is signed through the 2027 season. His rookie-deal terms complement Watt, Queen and Alex Highsmith, and it appears this season will provide a test to see if he can handle a busier role.
More On T.J. Watt’s Record-Setting Extension With Steelers
Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt just landed a record-setting three-year, $123MM extension, which keeps him under club control through 2028. The contract already looked like a win on paper for Watt, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk passes along a few details highlighting just how far Pittsburgh was willing to go to keep the former Defensive Player of the Year in the fold.
It was previously reported that Watt’s new deal includes $108MM in full guarantees. According to Florio, that figure is comprised of a $40MM signing bonus, a fully-guaranteed 2025 base salary of $4MM, and fully-guaranteed base salaries of $32MM in 2026 and 2027. In other words, Watt secured a whopping three fully-guaranteed seasons of pay, which will obviously make it very difficult for Pittsburgh to move on before the end of the 2027 campaign.
Per OverTheCap.com, Watt will carry a $23.37MM cap hit this season, and that number jumps to $42MM in 2026 and 2027 and tops out at $46.05MM in 2028. From 2026 onward, Watt’s cap charges are projected to account for well over 10% of Pittsburgh’s total cap room, which the club is perhaps willing to stomach since it expects to have a rookie-contract quarterback in the starting lineup as early as Week 1 of the 2026 slate.
Still, if Watt continues to perform at a high level – as his extension plainly anticipates, despite reported misgivings from the team in that regard – it would not be surprising to see the Steelers restructure the deal down the line to create additional cap space. At present, only his 2028 pay, which includes a $15MM roster bonus and a $21.05MM base salary, is non-guaranteed, but the roster bonus does trigger on the third day of the 2028 league year.
The $41MM average annual value of Watt’s extension is a record for non-quarterbacks, as is the $108MM in full guarantees. The same can be said of the early-year cash flow ($76MM within two years, $108MM within three years). The $108MM figure even tops the $100MM in fully-guaranteed money the 49ers ponied up for QB Brock Purdy earlier this year. As compared to fellow premium EDGE talent, Watt’s full guarantees represent 87.8% of his extension value, while Myles Garrett‘s $88.8MM in full guarantees make up just 55.5% of his extension, which is one year longer (h/t TexansCap).
Of course, Watt’s deal will have ramifications beyond his own team. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, who has been seeking a new commitment from Cincinnati for several years, is perhaps the most obvious beneficiary, as he is two months younger than Watt and outpaced him by six sacks in 2024. It is difficult to say whether Hendrickson and the Bengals will be able to resolve their long-standing impasse, but Hendrickson certainly has no reason to shoot for anything less than a $41MM AAV.
And, as older players get paid at that level, the price tags of elite younger players like Micah Parsons (26) and Aidan Hutchinson (25 in August) will rise even higher.
Steelers, T.J. Watt Agree To Extension
The wait has ended for T.J. Watt and the Steelers to work out an extension. Team and player have agreed to terms on another monster pact.
Watt has landed a three-year, $123MM extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact includes $108MM in full guarantees. With an average annual value of $41MM, Watt has once again claimed the title of the league’s top earner for defensive players and all non-quarterbacks.
Myles Garrett reset the edge rush market when he signed a Browns pact averaging $40MM per year. Ja’Marr Chase did the same at the receiver position when his Bengals extension (carrying an AAV of $40.25MM) became official. To little surprise, Watt has surpassed both of those figures while helping to ensure he will finish his career in Pittsburgh. Progress has been made rather rapidly, as Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show notes no agreement was imminent as recently as six days ago.
Both parties in this case expressed a desire to work out a deal months ago, but Watt hinted at dissatisfaction with the early state of contract talks. Over time, this became one of many tense situations involving edge rushers around the league. A major domino has now fallen, though, and Watt is on the books through 2028. This agreement falls short of the length he was seeking, but the former Defensive Player of the Year has succeeded in moving the bar for pass rushers and securing multiple years of locked in money.
Watt has led the NFL in sacks on three occasions (2021-22 and 2024) and he has played in every game the past two seasons after a pec tear cost him notable time in 2023. However, a downturn in play late in the campaign and into the postseason last year was viewed as cause for concern on the Steelers’ part regarding a new deal. Watt already reset the market in 2021, but doing so as he enters his age-31 season obviously carries risk for the team. General manager Omar Khan and Co. are certainly banking on a major drop-off not taking place for several more years.
Watt has operated as the anchor of Pittsburgh’s EDGE group over the course of his All-Pro career, and he will remain in that role well beyond the coming season. Rumors about a potential trade circulated amidst his decision to skip minicamp, but a deal never seemed likely or imminent. A holdout (or at least hold-in) effort during training camp will now not be necessary to get this deal over the finish line, something which was the case last time for Watt.
Alex Highsmith has recorded at least six sacks in each of the past four years, and he remains on the books through 2027. He will remain a starter along the edge, with Nick Herbig and fourth-round rookie Jack Sawyer operating as rotational contributors. Watt (who has amassed 33 forced fumbles and 126 tackles for loss in his career) will be counted on to lead the way in terms of production once again this year and well beyond that point.
The seven-time Pro Bowler has yet to win a playoff game in his career, something Khan and the Steelers have aimed to change this offseason. Pittsburgh has aggressively pursued several new players through trade and free agency, breaking with standard practice in some regards. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, receiver D.K. Metcalf, cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay as well as tight end Jonnu Smith are among the new faces which will be relied on to end the Steelers’ drought for playoff wins in 2025.
Watt will of course also be a central figure in that effort. Regardless of if things go according to plan this year, though, he will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
T.J. Watt Seeking Market-Topping AAV, Four-Year Guarantee From Steelers?
The wait continues around the NFL for several high-profile edge rush contract situations to be sorted out. In the case of T.J. Watt and the Steelers, it remains to be seen if an extension agreement can be reached before Week 1. 
Watt has drawn trade interest from suitors, but even though the Steelers are evaluating his value the pending 2026 free agent is widely expected to stay in Pittsburgh for at least one more season. Ensuring his future beyond that point will require another lucrative investment on the team’s part, with Watt a strong candidate to once again reset the pass rush market. A clearer picture of his asking price seems to have emerged.
During Monday’s episode of Kaboly+Mack (video link), Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show laid out the parameters of what he is “pretty sure” Watt is seeking. Per Kaboly, the former Defensive Player of the Year is angling for a five-year contract with the first four years guaranteed at an average annual value higher than Myles Garrett‘s $40MM. Topping Garrett’s mark in terms of per-year compensation has long been expected, but a commitment of that length by the Steelers would certainly be notable.
As evidenced by the fact an agreement is still not in place, the Steelers are not – at least for now – willing to go to those lengths to retain Watt on a third contract. Entering his age-31 season, the seven-time Pro Bowler naturally faces questions about his ability to remain among the league’s top pass rushers over the course of his next deal. Watt’s level of play late in the 2024 campaign is believed to be a cause for concern from the team’s perspective, and projecting his production over the coming years will be key for general manager Omar Khan in arriving at an agreement in this case.
Deviating from standard organizational procedure in a number of ways, Khan has taken a different roster-building approach in some respects than predecessor Kevin Colbert. 2025 in particular has seen the Steelers make notable win-now moves like the Aaron Rodgers signing and the trade acquisition of Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. Pittsburgh’s chances of making a postseason run would be greatly hindered by trading Watt, and the team’s 1-10 record in games without him certainly helps the four-time All-Pro’s leverage in negotiations.
Steelers players are set to report to training camp on July 23, which marks a somewhat notable checkpoint in this process. A holdout would come as a surprise given the fact it would lead to mandatory fines, although some view Watt as the likeliest player engaged in extension talks to take that route. During negotiations on his second Steelers pact, the three-time sack leader opted to hold in and it would come as no surprise if he did the same this time around.
Garrett’s four-year, $160MM Browns extension (which contains just under $124MM in total guarantees and roughly $89MM locked in at signing) still represents the bar for edge rushers at this point, but Micah Parsons is among the players who could sign a larger deal before Week 1. Watt is in a similar situation despite the age gap between he and Parsons, leaving plenty to be determined over the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers find a middle ground between their valuation and his asking price in time for the start of the season.
T.J. Watt Not Expected To Engage In Holdout; Steelers Not Seeking Trade
JULY 14: While a holdout would come as a surprise based on the mandatory fines which would be incurred, Outkick’s Armando Salgero reports Watt is the seen as the likeliest player amongst those engaged in a contentious negotiation to take that route. Steelers players are set to report on July 23, and it will be interesting to see how Watt handles the situation.
JULY 11: No movement has taken place recently on the T.J. Watt extension front. Still, the situation is unlikely to result in a training camp holdout.
The former Defensive Player of the Year is expected to attend training camp, Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show reports. That comes as no surprise, since a holdout would lead to mandatory fines. In the absence of an extension, a hold-in (whereby players attend camp but do not participate in on-field work) would be more likely. Watt took that route during negotiations on his 2021 extension.
Kaboly adds team and player remain in a holding pattern at this point. Matters such as term and guarantees, but also overall value, are causing the ongoing holdup in this situation. It would be a good sign if there were only one or two sticking points, but there doesn’t appear to be any common ground, at the moment. As a result, Watt could very well find himself engaging in contract talks deep into the summer. Back when he signed his 2021 extension, an agreement wasn’t reached until only three days before the start of the regular season.
With the standoff in the negotiations, teams around the league have been calling to inquire on his availability, but Kaboly maintains that the Steelers have not made any such calls themselves. The team clearly wants to retain his services for the 2025 season, but after a disappointing stretch to end 2024, they’re hesitant to commit to anything long-term.
The four-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler turns 31 this season, and though he reached double-digit sacks in 2024, the 11.5 total was his lowest since his rookie season (not counting and injury-riddled 5.5-sack 2022 campaign). Despite a strong 10-3 start to the year, the Steelers found themselves falling from the division lead as they lost their final four games of the season, while the rival Ravens won their final four. Watt was held sackless for the last three games of the regular season, and in both the regular season finale and the playoff loss in Baltimore, Watt failed to add a single statistic to the box score.
The ninth-year veteran defender will continue to push for the deal he wants, though, and a resolution may not end up coming until early September.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Steelers Evaluating T.J. Watt’s Trade Value
The Steelers’ standoff with T.J. Watt continues amid the star edge rusher’s desire to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
The impasse in negotiations has naturally led to trade speculation. Though teams have reportedly inquired about Watt, the Steelers’ position has been clear: they have no intention of moving the current face of their franchise.
However, the Steelers have been evaluating Watt’s trade value, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan that Pittsburgh is “obviously inquiring” about the potential return of a Watt trade, characterizing it as “due diligence” as the team is still focused on retaining their all-time sack leader.
Still, exploring Watt’s value on the trade market could give the Steelers information to help them in their negotiation and decision-making process. Lowball offers would indicate that other teams would not sign Watt to a top-of-the-market extension and instead see him as a one-year rental. More aggressive valuations would suggest that other teams see Watt as a long-term investment and may be willing to meet his contract demands.
This is a common practice for teams in contract stalemates, especially with older players. Taking calls on Watt is unlikely to inspire the Steelers to trade him, but it will clarify his value around the league and help them hone in on agreeable extension terms.
Of course, it is possible that another team could blow the Steelers away with their offer and get newly-extended general manager Omar Khan to consider moving the four-time All-Pro. Teams in similar situations have reverse course once the trade compensation hits the table, and Pittsburgh’s desire to add a top quarterback prospect in the 2026 draft may make them more willing to consider a deal. It’s worth noting, however, that interested teams are likely contenders who will only get better by adding Watt, capping the value of their draft picks, which will likely be late in the round.
The expectation remains that Watt and the Steelers will find a way to agree on terms before the season starts. Watt skipped OTAs and minicamp, but is not expected to hold out from training camp. However, he has never expressed any desire to leave Pittsburgh and seems unlikely to demand a trade to fulfill his financial wishes.
Steelers Hesitant About T.J. Watt Extension Based On Late-2024 Performances?
As training camps loom around the league, T.J. Watt is one of several notable edge rushers whose financial situation is uncertain. He and the Steelers hope to work out another extension, but considerable work still needs to be done. 
Watt was absent from minicamp with no agreement imminent. That remains the case at this point, with both guaranteed money and term length representing sticking points in negotiations. The top of the pass rush market has been known for months, though, leading many to believe other factors are leading to hesitation on the Steelers’ part.
Indeed, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported during a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan (video link) the sense around the league is that Pittsburgh is hesitant to make another long-term Watt commitment based on how last season ended. Watt wound up with 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six fumbles in 2024. His performances down the stretch and during the team’s wild-card loss fell short of his All-Pro standards, however.
Taking that into account along with his age (31 in October), Watt is not as straightforward of a candidate for a market-topping deal as he was in 2021. That year, the Steelers moved him to the top of the pecking order at an average of just over $28MM. That figure has since been surpassed several times over, and Myles Garrett moved the bar to $40MM per season with his latest Browns pact. Watt aims to surpass him on his third Steelers contract, but the team will need to weigh a potential falloff in production over the coming years.
A torn pec limited Watt to 10 games in 2022. During each of the two seasons preceding that one as well as the campaign following it, however, the seven-time Pro Bowler led the NFL in sacks. That will no doubt be a point of emphasis from his side during negotiations, a process which could last well into the summer. In 2021, Watt engaged in a hold-in during training camp until his deal was finalized mere days before the start of the campaign. A similar sequence could be in store this time around, with Week 1 representing a hard deadline given the Steelers’ philosophy of not negotiating contracts in-season.
The Steelers own a 1-10 record in games Watt has not suited up for during his decorated career. Given the team’s offseason moves centered on competing in 2025, a trade sending him elsewhere would come as a major surprise. Still, speculation about Watt’s situation will continue until an agreement is in place. It will be interesting to see if general manager Omar Khan winds up making a similar investment to the one his predecessor (Kevin Colbert) made four years ago or if he leaves the door open to a potential 2026 free agent departure.