TJ Watt, Dani Watt reveal traumatic birth of baby girl

Autumn Hawkins

TJ Watt, Dani Watt reveal traumatic birth of baby girl image

© Kirby Lee

TJ Watt and his wife, Dani Watt, are getting vulnerable about the traumatic birth of their baby girl. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker shared in an interview with Graham Bensinger that Dani had to undergo an emergency C-section because the child's heart rate was "plummeting."

However, Dani shared that she wanted to have a natural birth.

"I was very set on what I wanted… I did not want a belly birth, a C-section," she said.

"And to have it come down to that, after doing all the things that I did to get there, all the prep work, all the labor, and then to get to a point that it's no longer in my control – I got emotional."

Dani shared that after learning she needed to have a C-section, they quickly had to take her into surgery.

"So he asked everyone to clear the room. They were kind of taken back by that. They were like, 'We need to go now.' But literally they cleared the room, we took a couple deep breaths together, he kissed me, and they wheeled me into the OR," she added.

The Steelers star explained: "It's so intense. The moment is just like, holy crap, we're in 2025 and this is still like life or death – it feels like in that moment."

"I mean, people have died from having C-sections," he added.

The NFL star shared that the two didn't speak about what would happen if things were to go differently from how they expected during the birth. 

"Absolutely… We never truly had the conversation like, 'If I had to choose you'' or 'if I had to choose myself or the baby,' for her," he said.

While the day didn't go as planned, TJ and Dani are thankful for a healthy baby girl.

"And thankfully she was able to have a successful surgery and I was able to be there with her behind the curtain… And that was a success. And to be able to see this human being that is half of me, half of her, is incredible," TJ shared.

"'I am so grateful for the way it went because of the way that we fell in love with each other all over again – times a million I think," Dani added.

The couple welcomed their daughter, Blakely Marie Watt, in March.

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Autumn Hawkins

Autumn Hawkins is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. A New Jersey native, she got her start in media working in broadcast for WPRI, FOX Entertainment and the CW Providence as an entertainment producer and coordinator. She later held the role of National R&B and Hip-Hop editor for Beasley Media. More of Autumn's work can be found across OK! Magazine, Compulsive Magazine, Lowkey R&B and on-air with Beyond The Record.