Despite a short week and a sore ankle, T.J. Watt’s injury won’t hold him back during Saturday’s pivotal matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Reporting on KDKA’s Steelers Kickoff Saturday morning, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Gerry Dulac noted Watt isn’t expected to be on a snap count in today’s game.
“I was told just a short time ago, they expect him to be full-go,” Dulac told Rich Walsh during the show. “So I don’t expect him to be limited any more than usual. He might get an extra snap or two off in their rotation, but he’s expected to be full bore.”
Watt suffered a left low-ankle sprain in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, spoiling an otherwise great performance from him. Despite how painful it looked initially, every prognosis since has been positive. He avoided a dreaded high-ankle sprain that likely would’ve kept him out for multiple games, and his injury wasn’t even as severe as Alex Highsmith’s low-ankle sprain that caused him to miss three games earlier this season.
Watt practiced in full Thursday and didn’t have a game status on the Steelers’ final injury report. Speaking to reporters, Watt said his ankle felt good and that he hoped to play his usual amount of snaps, though would accept a lesser role if that was required for him to dress. Based on Dulac’s reporting, it doesn’t sound like that will be an issue.
Pittsburgh’s built strong EDGE depth over the last two seasons, hitting big by drafting Nick Herbig in 2023 and acquiring Preston Smith from the Green Bay Packers at the trade deadline. But the more Watt can be on the field, the better for the Steelers defense, and if he can play his usual assortment of snaps, he will.
For the season, Watt has logged 88 percent of the defense’s snaps, tied for the most in a season with the team. In seven games this year, he’s played at least 90 percent of them.
