https://triblive.com/sports/steelers-star-t-j-watt-at-hospital-after-exper-lung-ailment/
Steelers star T.J. Watt spends night in hospital for lung ailment evaluation
Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt spent Wednesday night at a local hospital and remained hospitalized well into Thursday after experiencing lung discomfort.
After Watt missed practice Thursday, coach Mike Tomlin characterized his status for Monday night’s Steelers game against the Miami Dolphins as “up in the air.”
Update on #Steelers LB T.J. Watt: pic.twitter.com/ngNBnwhBAK— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) December 11, 2025
A statement regarding Watt released early Thursday afternoon by Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said Watt was at an unnamed hospital for “further medical evaluation of his lung after experiencing discomfort at the practice facility on Wednesday.”
Tomlin said he and Watt communicated Wednesday evening, and Tomlin said Watt “was comfortable.”
“He was experiencing some discomfort when he was at the facility (Wednesday), and so we took him to the docs and they’re going through some procedures,” Tomlin said after practice ended Thursday. “He stayed overnight in the hospital. He has a lung situation that’s being addressed. I think he has some testing and so forth ahead of him (Thursday) afternoon. And that’s all I know at this juncture.”
Steelers catch Mike Tomlin says TJ Watt spent the night in the hospital, and provides a light update pic.twitter.com/dIrTqU4o1X— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) December 11, 2025
An ESPN report characterized Watt’s situation as a lung “injury” and said Watt’s discomfort began “during treatment.”
When contacted by TribLive, the NFLPA responded that the union “is aware of the situation and has been in contact with T.J. and his representatives.” An NFLPA spokesperson said the organization had “no further comment at this time.”
Tomlin said he did not know specifically what prompted Watt’s discomfort or when it began.
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. Tomlin said that the report from the hospital would provide more clarity on Watt’s potential availability for Monday’s game.
“I haven’t talked to T.J.,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said, “but I would never bet against anybody in the Watt family of being able to deal with something small or large and come back on the field as quickly as possible.”
Tomlin said he was not aware of any injury Watt was dealing with coming out of this past Sunday’s win at the Baltimore Ravens or since.
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 in 2022 when he 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. Metcalf was experiencing stomach pain and as a precaution was evaluated at a hospital Sunday evening. Metcalf spent the night in Baltimore — but not in a hospital — and returned to Pittsburgh on Monday.
Watt played 70 defensive snaps Sunday, tied for the fifth-most he has 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 and Herbig one.
Watt has seven sacks this season, putting him on pace for his fewest in a full season since his rookie year.
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