How the Pittsburgh Steelers Can Survive Without T.J. Watt

Steelers star linebacker T.J. Watt successfully underwent surgery to repair a collapsed lung after a freak injury from a dry-needling accident. Fortunately for Watt and the Steelers, the surgery has gone smoothly, and he can begin his recovery process here soon. Dry needling is a typical recovery tactic within the Steelers organization and is a more invasive version of acupuncture.

Since the surgery was successful, T.J. Watt should be allowed to return to football activities within a few weeks, though the exact timeline remains unknown. Head coach Mike Tomlin has ruled out Watt for this week, but hasn’t given any further information on when we will see him again.

Now that we know T.J. Watt will be healthy long term from this injury, I think it’s fair to ask the question that everyone is thinking. How will Pittsburgh fare with Watt on the sideline?

Since Watt was drafted in 2017, he’s only missed 11 games in his career. The Steelers' record in those games… just 1-10. This season, Watt has been a little bit more human, with only 7 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, but the Steelers' defense still goes as Watt goes. There aren’t many guys in the league who are more critical to a team than he is for the Steelers.

With how tight the fight is for the AFC North, the Steelers need to get Watt back on the field as soon as possible. Last week's massive road win over the Ravens was a significant momentum swing for Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers and the offense played what might have been their best game of the season, and they need to keep things rolling at home against the Dolphins.

With how Tomlin has been the last few years, after a huge upset win over the Ravens, they probably would find a way to lose a game they should win against Miami. Now that Watt is out, it’s a perfect game for Tomlin to find a way to win and keep his over .500 record alive in 2025. With Baltimore still breathing down their necks, every game feels like a must-win for the Steelers, especially with their upcoming schedule.

They’ll have to go to Detroit to face a Lions team that can’t lose many more games, head to Cleveland, where they’ve struggled in recent years, and finish the season against the Ravens in a matchup that could decide the division. How will the offense pick up a defense without their heart and soul? They leaned heavily on the play-action passing game, which led to very efficient games from Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf, so that might be the formula moving forward.

On defense, who’s going to step up on the defensive line? Nick Herbig hasn’t been seeing consistent playing time in the Steelers' rotation, but when he has, he’s looked incredible. Could this potentially be his opportunity to earn consistent snaps for an inconsistent Steelers defense? Someone will have to step up on the edge, especially if more focus is put on stopping Alex Highsmith.

The Steelers seem to always find ways to win, but they’ve struggled without Watt. Will this be the time their fortunes change and they can keep their season alive? Monday will be an exciting first test.