Latest T.J. Watt update proves that even the Steelers don’t know what exactly they are dealing with after dry needling procedure
Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are searching for answers regarding T.J. Watt.
When it was announced that T.J. Watt was dealing with a punctured lung that would sideline him for the Dolphins game and beyond, the prevailing notion was that he skirted major injury and would be back sometime this season.
The other talking point was how in the world this happened in the first place, given that the small hole created in Watt’s lung occurred during what was supposed to be a recovery session for the Steelers star.
Speaking for the first time in a formal setting since the procedure and subsequent surgery, the thought was that Mike Tomlin would provide some clarity on what happened and on Watt’s availability. In reality, his remarks proved how little the Steelers know about the series of unfortunate events.
Mike Tomlin offers no update on the health of T.J. Watt
“I’ve got no new news on T.J.,” Tomlin said during his weekly presser via the Steelers YouTube channel. “I’m sure I will a little later in the week, but I hadn’t heard any new updates regarding his availability or what that looks like as he starts to work his way back to us this week. And so, no real news there.”
“I don’t know if he’s (Watt) been in the facility yet, because I’ve been in a dark room in the back. He might be in the facility as we speak, and so I don’t have a lot of the answers to that, and I was just trying to be transparent when I said I didn’t have any new information as I stood here today.”
We will get our first glimpse of whether Watt is playing against the Detroit Lions when the team steps on the practice field again on Wednesday. Right now, just reading the tea leaves, it feels like a long shot that Watt is out there for practice.
The last we heard from his camp, his brother J.J. said he was being released from the hospital on Friday and was heading home to rest. The NFLPA has been involved, and the exact technique that was administered, known as dry needling, also came up during Tomlin’s presser.
“I have no new information regarding that,” Tomlin added when asked about the technique. “None whatsoever.”
I’m not sure we will ever hear exactly what happened to Watt, how it went down, whether the administrator is still employed, or what the NFLPA finds out. All of that seems like something that gets swept under the rug.
The answer we should receive soon is whether Watt returns on Sunday.