Pittsburgh Steelers Set To Get Star Back For Monumental Week 18 Game
If you had “T.J. Watt misses three games because of a therapy session gone wrong” on your 2025 NFL Bingo card, go buy a lottery ticket immediately. But for the Steelers, the nightmare scenario is finally over. After a bizarre, scary, and frankly frustrating few weeks, Pittsburgh’s premier game-wrecker is officially back. And let’s be honest, his timing couldn’t be better.
Sunday Night Football. Baltimore. The AFC North crown on the line. It is the kind of script writers get rejected for because it feels too convenient, yet here we are. Watt has been cleared to play against the Ravens, and for a Pittsburgh defense that looked a little toothless in that ugly 13-6 loss to the Browns last week, Watt’s return is like finding water in the desert.
A “Fluke” Injury That Scared Steeler Nation
Let’s rewind to the incident that sidelined the former Defensive Player of the Year. It wasn’t a chop block or a blindside hit. It was dry needling that went sideways at the team facility. Watt ended up with a partially collapsed lung, a hospital stay, and a surgery that kept him off the field for nearly a month.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Watt didn’t sugarcoat the experience. “Didn’t feel right shortly afterwards,” Watt said. He described being in a “significant amount of pain” and spending two or three nights in the hospital.
But in true football-guy fashion, Watt was back at practice this week, fully participating and claiming he feels “really good.” He’s putting the needles behind him and focusing on wreaking havoc on the Ravens’ backfield.
Why the Steelers Desperately Need This Spark
Let’s call a spade a spade: last week against Cleveland was inexcusable. The Steelers had a chance to lock up the division, and instead, they let the Browns drag them into a mud fight. Now, the stakes are astronomical. Win, and you host a playoff game as the Kings of the North. Lose, and you’re watching the postseason from the couch.
Getting Watt back changes the entire geometry of the defense. We aren’t just talking about his seven sacks or his forced fumbles; we’re talking about the attention he demands. When No. 90 is lining up on the edge, offensive coordinators sleep a little less. He frees up Alex Highsmith. He forces holding penalties. He makes quarterbacks see ghosts.
No Snap Count, Just Full Throttle
There was some chatter that maybe, just maybe, the Steelers would ease him back in. Put him on a “pitch count,” so to speak. But Watt shut that down faster than a screen pass. He noted that he tried to simulate game action with pads in practice and felt no limitations. “I just started the playoffs a week early,” Watt said.
For a rivalry as bitter and physical as Steelers vs. Ravens, you need your alpha dogs. Baltimore is coming off a massive win over Green Bay, and they smell blood in the water. But with Watt’s lung reinflated and his jersey back on, Pittsburgh has a fighting chance to salvage the season and take the AFC North.
