Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt will not participate in the NFL’s Pro Bowl games because of a knee injury that prevented him from playing in last week’s playoff game.

The Cleveland Browns gave word of Watt’s absence via the announcement that two of their players — linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and guard Wyatt Teller — were headed to Orlando for the Feb. 2-4 event. Cleveland guard Joel Bitonio also is opting out because of injury.

The NFL two years ago abandoned the traditional Pro Bowl game for a series of skills contests.

Watt this season became the first player to lead the league in sacks three times since they became an official statistic in 1982. He had 19 in 17 games.

The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Watt could be a finalist for the award again this season. Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons also are considered among the favorites for the award.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Thursday that if the Steelers had advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs this weekend that Watt likely would have played. He suffered the knee injury during a collision with teammate Montravius Adams during the Jan. 6 regular-season finale in Baltimore. Watt missed the Steelers’ 31-17 loss at the Buffalo Bills on Monday.

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