Brooke PryorDec 12, 2025, 01:40 PM ET
CloseBrooke Pryor is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2019. She previously covered the Kansas City Chiefs for the Kansas City Star and the University of Oklahoma for The Oklahoman.
PITTSBURGH — Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt had successful surgery Thursday to repair a partially collapsed lung that he sustained after a dry needling session at the team practice facility Wednesday, his brother J.J. Watt said on social media.
T.J. Watt’s recovery timeline is still to be determined, his brother said, and he is set to be released from the hospital Thursday afternoon.
“He and his family are very appreciative of everyone’s kind words and well wishes,” J.J. Watt wrote.
Editor’s Picks
Watt was hospitalized Wednesday after receiving treatment at the facility on the Steelers’ day off, and he remained there Thursday for imaging and tests before the surgery.
The NFL Players Association is aware of the situation and has been in touch with Watt and his representation.
If Watt is unable to play Monday against the Miami Dolphins, the Steelers would rely on a rotation of pass rushers in Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer.
“I think T.J.’s done a great job of being a leader, not just in the room, but in the whole building, the organization,” Herbig said. “I think he rubs off on a lot of people in the right way, and I’m not worried at all because we have great guys, great leaders that’ll pick up that slack. I think that he’s prepared, not just myself, but a bunch of the younger guys in that sense to be able to take on that larger role, not just as a player but as a leader and bringing that energy.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, dry needling is a treatment used for “pain and movement issues associated with myofascial trigger points.” To perform this treatment, providers typically insert thin needles “into or near your trigger points to stimulate muscles, which causes them to contract or twitch and helps to relieve pain and improve range of motion.”
In 2020, then-Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor suffered a punctured lung when a doctor tried to administer pain medication for fractured ribs pregame. Taylor was medically cleared to return a month after the puncture.
Watt had six tackles, including one tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit in the win against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, when he played 68 (88%) defensive snaps. The former Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Pro, who signed a three-year, $123 million extension in July, has 7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 1 interception this season along with 18 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss in 13 games.