A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete and dedicated article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys. The same as our recent Depot Daily, but now late at night to better capture the news of the day.
Your Depot After Dark for Nov. 1.
T.J. Watt Hospital Story
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show Wednesday, J.J. Watt shared what he calls one of the scariest experiences of his life. Around 2014, before T.J. Watt was drafted by the Steelers, the Watt family took a trip to Italy. There, Watt suffered a severe allergic reaction to pesto, not knowing it’s made from tree nuts. J.J. Watt said T.J. stopped breathing and they rushed him to the hospital, not knowing his condition for the next hour.
“One of the scariest experiences of my entire life. They wouldn’t let me go back with him, either. And he literally wasn’t breathing. For about 45 minutes to an hour, Derek and I had no idea if he was going to make it, not going to make it.”
J.J. said Watt doesn’t carry around his EpiPen all the time, either. Hopefully that was a wake-up call for him. Steelers’ fans, make sure to thank the Watt DNA, the state of Wisconsin, and the entire country of Italy for making sure Watt made it to Pittsburgh.
Jaylon Johnson No-Trade Thoughts
For Chicago Bears CB Jaylon Johnson, the trade deadline came and went without any change to his status. After being granted permission to seek a trade, the Bears ultimately held onto Johnson and he’ll play out the final year of his rookie contract with the team.
Speaking with the media Wednesday, Johnson told reporters he thought he was going to get dealt. That’s via Bears’ reporter Courtney Cronin, who tweeted the news this afternoon.
Johnson went on to say he knew other teams inquired about him and implied they were offering larger contracts than what the Bears proposed. Pittsburgh was rumored to be interested in Johnson but it’s unclear how far those talks really got. Johnson is slated to be a free agent after the season though the Bears have the option to use the franchise tag on him.
Levi Wallace Nominated
Pittsburgh Steelers CB Levi Wallace is the Steelers’ 2023 nominee Salute to Service Award nominee. As Steelers.com notes, Wallace has close ties with the military.
“The award recognizes NFL players, coaches, personnel and legends who make a commitment to supporting the military community.
Wallace comes from a military family as both of his parents, Wendy and the late Walter Wallace both served in the United States Air Force. His mother served for four years in a personnel role, while his father served for 21 years as an airplane mechanic and reached the rank of Master Sergeant.”
Wallace said he was able to go to school through his parents GI Bill, walking onto Alabama before earning a scholarship from Nick Saban. He made the similar climb in the NFL, signing as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills before becoming a starter. Wallace was signed by the Steelers in 2022 and is the final year of his deal.
Past winners of the award include Commanders’ head coach Ron Rivera in 2022, then-Broncos’ fullback Andrew Beck in 2021, and Falcons’ executive Steve Cannon in 2020.
