The Pittsburgh Steelers might be without their best player on Monday night. Star pass rusher T.J. Watt had to be taken to the hospital after experiencing discomfort and is currently undergoing medical examination of his lungs.
The former Defensive Player of the Year reportedly sustained the injury while receiving treatment at the team’s facility. As such, his status for Monday night’s game vs. The Miami Dolphins is up in the air, according to a statement shared by Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten:
“T.J. Watt is currently in a local hospital for further medical evaluation after experiencing discomfort at the practice facility on Wednesday. He will not be at practice on Thursday, and his status for Monday night’s game vs. Miami is in question. Coach (Mike) Tomlin will provide more updates at the appropriate time,” read the statement.
What does T.J. Watt’s absence mean for the Steelers’ playoff chances
According to the league’s official playoff simulator, the Steelers enter Week 15 with a 66% chance of making the playoffs. That number would rise to 74% with a win, but it falls ot 56% with a loss.
Per StatMuse, the Steelers are 1-0 all-time whenever T.J. Watt doesn’t play. Also, they go from allowing 20.3 points per game with him on the field to 26.3 whenever he doesn’t suit up. That’s far from ideal when facing a Dolphins team that has won four games in a row and five of their last six and is right back in the playoff picture.
This will be the first time Watt is forced to miss this season, and he has played in all 17 games in the past couple of years. In 13 appearances, the 31-year-old has logged 53 tackles and seven sacks, which is far below his usual standards.
Even so, he’s one of the most impactful pass rushers of his generation, and he’s the type of disruptive defensive player who can take over a game at any given time.
The Steelers gave him a three-year, $123 million extension that made him the highest-paid defensive player of all time, a distinction that has since been taken by Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson.
The Steelers are 7-6 for the season and lead the Baltimore Ravens by just one game. And with tough matchups with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns after Monday night’s clash, not having Watt out there could doom this team’s postseason chances.