Steelers’ T.J. Watt (hamstring) to begin training camp on PUP list

The annual Pittsburgh Steelers training camp-opening conditioning run claimed one casualty this season. But although the name is a major one, the ailment seemingly is not.

Outside linebacker T.J. Watt landed on the physically unable to perform list after “experiencing some tightness” in his left hamstring during the final conditioning run, coach Mike Tomlin said.

“He is not available at the initial onset (of training-camp practices Friday) morning,” Tomlin said during a brief news conference after the run. “He may be on (PUP) for a very short period of time.”

The PUP list is a tool available to NFL teams for players who are injured when training camp opens. It allows roster flexibility in the event the player still is injured by the start of the regular season, but as soon as a player is taken off PUP and participates in a preseason practice, he cannot go back on it.

Now, it’s TJ Watt arriving while repping yet another Pittsburgh pro sports team... pic.twitter.com/KMzBwESwiO

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 25, 2019

Watt is the only player the Steelers on the PUP list. He missed several practices during last year’s training camp because of a hamstring injury, but Tomlin said that had no effect on how they handled Thursday’s PUP designation.

“He was able to complete the test. He just expressed some tightness there at the end, so we will do what is appropriate from that standpoint,” Tomlin said.

Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.