The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to put linebacker T.J. Watt on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least four games with a pectoral injury.
Watt, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was injured in the final seconds of regulation in the Steelers’ 23-20 win over Cincinnati.
The injury apparently won’t require surgery, which would have almost certainly ended his season.
The current plan for Watt is rehab and rest, and a return to the field in six weeks.
“We’re going to do the things that we think are good, that are sound fundamentally,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Thursday. “We know we may not get the type of production T.J. had, but if we get good, solid varsity players, we’re going to be fine.”
The absence of Watt will mean more reliance on outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, who had three sacks and four quarterback hits on Sunday, and outside ‘backers Malik Reed, acquired in a trade in the offseason, and Jamir Jones, recently picked up off the waiver wire.
Pittsburg also signed David Anenih to the 53-man roster off the Tennessee Titans practice squad, and signed former Washington linebacker Ryan Anderson to the practice squad.
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