Steelers star T.J. Watt at hospital for lung ailment evaluation

Pittsburgh Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt was not at practice and instead at a local hospital Thursday.

Watt experienced discomfort Wednesday and on Thursday was undergoing a medical evaluation of his lung, according to a release on social media from team spokesman Burt Lauten.

Update on #Steelers LB T.J. Watt: pic.twitter.com/ngNBnwhBAK

— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) December 11, 2025

The statement in its entirety:

“T.J. Watt is currently in a local hospital for further medical evaluation of his lung after experiencing discomfort at the practice facility on Wednesday. He will not be at practice on Thursday, and his status for Monday night’s game vs. Miami is in question. Coach Tomlin will provide more updates at the appropriate time.”

An ESPN report characterized Watt’s situation as a lung “injury” and said Watt’s discomfort began “during treatment.”

A five-time team MVP, four-time first-team AP NFL All Pro and 2021 NFL defensive player of the year, Watt in July became at the time the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player when he signed a three-year, $123 million contract extension.

Watt, 31, is the franchise’s all-time sacks leader with 115.

The Steelers host the Dolphins on “Monday Night Football,” giving the team an extra day to prepare.

Watt has appeared in each of the Steelers’ past 56 regular-season games, though a knee injury prevented him from playing in a January 2024 postseason defeat. Watt has not missed a regular-season game since Week 9 of the 2022 season when was recovering from pectoral and knee injuries that caused him to miss seven games.

Watt, a defensive co-captain, is the second prominent Steelers player this week who was evaluated in a hospital for a non-football injury reason.

Top wide receiver DK Metcalf stayed behind in Baltimore after the Steelers’ 27-22 victory against the Ravens on Sunday. Metcalf was experiencing stomach pain and as a precaution was evaluated at a hospital Sunday evening. Metcalf spend the night in Baltimore — but not in a hospital — and returned to Pittsburgh Monday.

Watt played 70 defensive snaps Sunday, tied for the fifth-most he’s played in his career.

The Steelers are 1-10 when Watt does not play since he entered the league as a first-round pick in 2017. The 2025 Steelers, though, are arguably as well-positioned as ever to withstand a Watt absence. They have Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and rookie Jack Sawyer on the outside linebackers’ depth chart. Already this season, Highsmith has missed four games games and Herbig one.

Watt has seven sacks this season, putting him on pace for his fewest in a full season since his rookie year.

This story will be updated.