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The Pitsburgh Steelers reportedly feared that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end TJ Watt, a torn pectoral in their Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Watt will be scheduled to undergo scans on Monday to confirm if their fear is a reality, ESPN reported.
Watt ran off the field late in the game with his left side looking limp. As the TV camera panned close to Watt, it appears that he knew immediately that he tore his pec, pointing to it as he reached the sideline.
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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt (90) celebrates after an interception with safety Tre Norwood (21) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, in Cincinnati.
(AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
It goes without saying how much Watt means to this Pittsburgh defense, and if the tests come back positive, it will leave a massive hole on the defensive line.
Watt won the Defensive Player of the Year last season by totaling 22.5 sacks over 16 games to lead the NFL. In this contest, he had one sack, three tackles of his six for loss and even jumped in the air to snag an interception from Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
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Simply put, Watt is a game wrecker that can’t be replicated.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt (90) follows a play during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla. Watt tied an NFL record with 22½ sacks last season on his way to capturing the Defensive Player of the Year award.
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
The Steelers ended up winning this game against their division rival despite Watt having to come out of the game. It almost didn’t end that way when Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase caught a Burrow throw for the game-tying touchdown.
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But the extra point was blocked by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was superb in this game. He started off the scoring with a pick-six on Burrow’s first pass attempt of the season, and his efforts on that extra point allowed Chris Boswell to hit a 53-yard field goal in the final seconds of overtime to start the season on the right foot.
TJ Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the Detroit Lions at Acrisure Stadium on Aug. 28, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
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However, with Watt’s injury, the win may be bittersweet for head coach Mike Tomlin and the rest of the Steelers.