PITTSBURGH — Prominent Steelers player T.J. Watt, recognized as one of the NFL’s top-earning edge rushers and the recipient of the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year award, experienced a partially collapsed lung on Wednesday following a dry needling session at the team’s facility. This incident has raised various inquiries regarding the circumstances leading to it and the subsequent actions that will follow.
T.J.’s brother, J.J. Watt, issued a statement on social media Friday, confirming that T.J. underwent a surgical procedure on Thursday to mend and stabilize his lung, and was subsequently discharged from the hospital on Friday.
“Yesterday TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility,” J.J. Watt conveyed on social media. “Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today. He and his family are very appreciative of everyone’s kind words and well wishes.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stated that T.J. Watt, aged 31, will be absent from Monday’s prime-time home game against the Miami Dolphins (8:15 ET, ESPN). Pittsburgh aims to solidify its position as leader of the AFC North, ahead of the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers organization has not disclosed extensive information concerning the occurrence. An initial announcement by Pittsburgh spokesperson Burt Lauten on Thursday indicated Watt sought hospital evaluation for his lung after reporting “discomfort” at the practice facility on Wednesday. After Friday’s practice, Tomlin mentioned Watt had a “medical procedure either today or yesterday.” When questioned if the event leading to Watt’s hospitalization transpired during a dry needling session, as J.J. Watt claimed, Tomlin remained noncommittal.
“I don’t have a lot of information, so I’m certainly not going to dispute something that’s said by someone close to him,” Tomlin remarked. “I hadn’t had discussions along those lines.”
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) is informed about the situation and has been in communication with Watt and his representatives. “Our main immediate priority is supporting T.J.’s health and full recovery,” the NFLPA declared in an official statement.
While dry needling is a common practice in an NFL player’s physical therapy regimen, an incident of this magnitude is unusual.
Was Watt previously injured before the therapy? What exactly is dry needling? Does Watt’s condition bear resemblance to then-Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s situation in 2020, when his lung was punctured? How will Pittsburgh’s defensive unit perform as the team pursues a divisional title? Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor and ESPN senior writer and injury analyst Stephania Bell analyze the key inquiries.
Had Watt sustained a chest or back injury prior to the dry needling?
Watt has not appeared on the team’s practice or injury reports this season. Tomlin also affirmed on Thursday that, to his awareness, Watt had no injury warranting inclusion on an injury report either before or after the Steelers’ Week 14 game.
Watt was noted on the practice report for a toe injury during the week preceding the Baltimore game, and earlier in the season, he was listed due to a hip concern leading up to the Week 8 home match against the Green Bay Packers. Dry needling is not necessarily tied to the treatment of a specific injury; it can be employed to relieve general muscle tightness, including in areas like the shoulders, and occasionally, the pectoral muscles. — Pryor
What defines dry needling? What are the legal prerequisites for its administration? What is its safety profile?
Dry needling constitutes a specialized technique where the practitioner inserts a fine needle through the skin, aiming to alleviate discomfort and enhance mobility. In contrast to “wet” needling, which employs a hollow needle (featuring a central channel for fluid delivery) to inject a substance, dry needling uses a solid needle and introduces no liquid.
Typical applications for dry needling encompass, but are not confined to, muscular pain/strains (e.g., hamstrings, quadriceps), tendinitis/tendinopathy (e.g., patellofemoral issues, biceps, rotator cuff), plantar fasciitis, and headaches. Its adoption has grown particularly over the last decade, and it is now common in most athletic rehabilitation centers or training rooms.
State regulations dictate who is legally permitted to perform dry needling. The professionals who may engage in dry needling include physical therapists, athletic trainers, acupuncturists, chiropractors, medical doctors, physician assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners.
Healthcare specialists typically undertake advanced education specifically for dry needling procedures. The necessary training hours vary by state, as there is no universally recognized board overseeing dry needling certification. Programs require the completion of theoretical and practical modules, and participants must successfully pass written and hands-on examinations that cover safety protocols.
Dr. Sue Falsone, CEO and founder of Structure and Function Education, is a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and certified strength and conditioning specialist with over 15 years of practical and instructional experience in dry needling. She has provided treatment and consultation to numerous elite athletes, including NFL and MLB players, and asserts that numerous safety studies demonstrate a very low risk associated with dry needling.
“Precautions and patient safety are always a part of any patient intervention,” Falsone explained, “but as with any modality, there is a chance for an adverse reaction.”
Falsone observed that the four most frequently documented adverse reactions in scientific literature are relatively minor. These include minimal bleeding (a drop or two at the needle site), localized bruising, pain or lingering soreness at the insertion point, and pain or soreness in an area distant from the site.
“Pneumothorax [punctured lung] is reported in the literature as a very rare event,” Falsone stated. — Bell
What number of other Steelers utilize dry needling?
It is difficult to ascertain precisely how many Steelers players undergo dry needling for muscle tightness and soreness during the season, but former linebacker James Harrison informed ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler in 2015 that “three to five” other players within the locker room were also receiving dry needling treatments.
“It’s a more invasive form of needling,” Harrison commented then. “It can be recovery-based and help to heal any injuries that are nagging. … It’s painful as hell.”
Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen mentioned on Friday that he prefers acupuncture over dry needling.
“Kind of two different things,” Queen remarked. “… 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.
“It is unfortunate. You could probably get dry needled a thousand times and never have anything happen, and it just probably a half an inch in the wrong direction. So, you never know.”
Queen further expressed that he has consistently exercised caution regarding who he allows to use needles on him for therapy.
“Obviously, it’s needles, then you need ’em in the right spot and stuff, and they could go in the wrong spot at any time,” he stated. — Pryor
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T.J. Watt in the hospital for lung evaluation
Ryan Clark and Rich Eisen react to T.J. Watt having his lung evaluated in the hospital after experiencing discomfort at the Steelers’ practice facility on Wednesday.
What is the expected recovery course for Watt? Are any enduring consequences anticipated?
The crucial factor in Watt’s case is that upon reporting symptoms and undergoing assessment, he was immediately transported to the hospital for urgent medical attention and received prompt treatment from qualified personnel. This scenario significantly improves his prospects for a complete recovery.
Lung tissue possesses remarkable regenerative capabilities, particularly in a healthy, young athlete. A pulmonary injury akin to Watt’s has the potential to heal entirely within 7 to 10 days, and no long-term repercussions are expected. — Bell
Is this comparable to the Tyrod Taylor incident? What are the distinctions?
Taylor was reportedly grappling with two fractured ribs and received a pregame analgesic injection, intended to lessen localized pain and enable him to participate in the game. The needle inadvertently punctured a lung, resulting in a pneumothorax (a condition where air escapes into the area between the lung and the chest wall, compressing or “collapsing” the lung).
In Watt’s circumstance, as conveyed by his brother J.J., he sustained a partially collapsed lung (also a pneumothorax) following a dry needling therapy session. By definition, dry needling implies no pharmaceutical agent was administered via the needle, distinguishing this from Taylor’s specific medical procedure.
While the precise medical records for either player are not accessible, it is important to acknowledge that each player’s injury severity and rehabilitation journey are distinct, even when facing an identical diagnosis. We are aware that Taylor has since successfully returned to playing football at the NFL level, and we anticipate Watt will achieve the same. — Bell
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What consequences does Watt’s unavailability pose for the Steelers’ defense in their pursuit of the AFC North title?
A definitive date for Watt’s comeback is not established, which constitutes a considerable setback for a team holding a narrow advantage over the Ravens in the AFC North and vying for a playoff berth with only four games remaining.
Historically, the Steelers have a 1-11 record, including postseason matches, in games where Watt is absent. Watt’s most recent missed game occurred during the 2023 playoffs, when he was sidelined due to an MCL sprain for the wild-card defeat against the Buffalo Bills in January 2024.
During this period without Watt, the Steelers will depend on a rotation featuring Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and rookie Jack Sawyer. Highsmith, who has contended with injuries throughout the current season, secured the victory against the Ravens with a game-ending sack on Lamar Jackson.
“That unmistakably showcases his character, the caliber of plays he delivers, the impactful moments he creates; when the game is on the line, he will secure a play for us,” Herbig remarked about Highsmith. “That embodies Alex. That’s been his consistent identity throughout his career.”
Herbig is additionally an emerging young talent. The fourth-round draft pick from 2023 recorded two sacks in his last encounter with a left-handed quarterback, Cleveland’s Dillion Gabriel; Herbig achieved two tackles for loss and four quarterback hits. Herbig is set to face Miami’s left-handed QB Tua Tagovailoa on Monday.
“T.J.’s done a great job of being a leader, not just in the room, but in the whole building, the organization,” Herbig observed. “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, and 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 and just doing everything that he does.” — Pryor
