Mike Tomlin kept the door open for each of his injured players to suit up for Saturday's game against the Ravens during Monday's press conference. That list of players includes T.J. Watt, the Steelers star pass rusher who injured his ankle near the end of Pittsburgh's Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Watt will face Baltimore after not having an injury designation for Saturday. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year was designated with a "did not participate" label during Pittsburgh's walk-through on Tuesday. He was limited during Wednesday's practice and was a full participant on Thursday, Pittsburgh's final practice of the week.
"We'll have to wait and see how it feels on Saturday," Watt said after practice, via The Athletic, "but I feel pretty good right now."
T.J. Watt (ankle) working with the main group of LBs pic.twitter.com/sFSgcvwdTr
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) December 19, 2024
Watt's presence on Saturday is obviously huge for the Steelers, who can lock up their first division title since 2020 with a win over the Ravens. Through 14 games, Watt has 11.5 sacks and leads the NFL with six forced fumbles and 18 tackles for loss. Watt had a sack and two TFLs when Pittsburgh edged Baltimore back in Week 11.
Pittsburgh does have the necessary depth had Watt not played, though. The Steelers' outside linebacker corps also includes starter Alex Highsmith and backups Nick Herbig and Preston Smith, who was acquired just before the trade deadline. Highsmith, who missed time earlier this year with an injury, has five sacks in eight games. Herbig, who made five starts this season with Highsmith out, has 4.5 sacks this year that includes his strip-sack that set up the game-winning score against the Bengals back in Week 13.
While Watt is playing, the Steelers will not have No. 1 receiver George Pickens, whose hamstring injury will sideline him for a third straight game. Backup quarterback Justin Fields (abdominal) is also out. Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) is doubtful, while cornerback Donte Jackson (back) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) are questionable. Elliott, Jackson and Ogunjobi were limited practice participants on Thursday.
