T.J. Watt, the star outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was in the hospital as of Wednesday after partially collapsing his lung. The injury resulted from a dry needling procedure at the organization’s practice center. After the incident, Watt felt persistent pain and later underwent hospitalization for further examination. Pittsburgh spokesperson Burt Lauten confirmed that Watt underwent surgery on Thursday to repair and stabilize his lung. To his immense fortune, he returned from the hospital only a day later, on Friday.
This means Watt must confront an unforeseen medical scare. As a result, he’ll miss the Steelers’ upcoming home prime-time matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Even Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stood up and took notice of just how serious the incident was. Lundqvist said that Watt had a medical procedure done today or yesterday. Prior to this game, he hadn’t appeared on the team’s practice report or injury report even once this season. The last game he didn’t play was in the 2023 playoffs after suffering an MCL sprain.
Understanding Dry Needling
Dry needling is a therapeutic technique widely used by physical therapists to release tight muscles, relieve pain and discomfort and restore normal movement. The process consists of carefully placing long, thin needles into precise points of muscle tissue to ease muscle tension and promote healing. Like all medical procedures, even one as innovative and promising as RF ablations, it does have risks.
James Harrison, a former Steelers linebacker, elaborated on the method, saying, “It’s a more invasive form of needling. It can be recovery-based and help to heal any injuries that are nagging. … It’s painful as hell.” While many players are excited at the prospect of the treatment, others urge caution. Patrick Queen, a current linebacker, noted, “I don’t do the whole dry needle thing. I’m actually scared of dry needling, so I kind of stay away from that stuff.”
For this reason, Watt’s dry needling accident has served as a catalyst for conversations about the safety of dry needling within the world of pro sports. An experienced physical therapist, Dr. Sue Falsone has valuable perspective on this issue. She mentioned that pneumothorax, or a punctured lung, is a known but very rare complication associated with dry needling. “Precautions and patient safety are always a part of any patient intervention,” she added. “As with any modality, there is a chance for an adverse reaction.”
Watt’s Injury and Its Impact on the Team
Pittsburgh’s Steelers is now tasked with providing the absence that Watt vacated in their starting lineup. The team will rely on a rotation of Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and rookie Jack Sawyer to fill the gap left by their star player. Herbig sounded like a man confident in Watt’s abilities while highlighting just how crucial he is to the team. “That’s a clear representation of who he is, the type of plays he provides, the type of splash he makes,” he said. “Game on the line, he’ll go make a play for us.”
No matter whether you’re a fan or not, Watt is just beginning his recovery journey. The Steelers need to figure their future games without one of their biggest playmaking defenders. His recovery time line is still up in the air at this moment, with fans and teammates alike turned to a worried one over his return.
Community Support and Comparisons to Past Incidents
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) has publicly expressed its commitment to supporting T.J. Watt’s health and full recovery following this incident. The organization added that their absolute focus should be on making sure the athlete gets the most care and rehabilitation possible.
Watt’s situation is echoing to many the story of former Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor. In 2020, Taylor almost died after a routine medical procedure caused a punctured lung. These kinds of comparisons serve to underscore the unnerving and unpredictable dangers that come with invasive medical procedures related to professional sports.
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