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‘Stepping Stone To The Next Phase:’ Ryan Watts Felt ‘Blessed’ Going Into Surgery

Ryan Watts

In 2024, the Pittsburgh Steelers had several rookies contribute significantly to their success. Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, and Beanie Bishop Jr. are just a few examples. Unfortunately, not every rookie got a chance to display his talents. Defensive back Ryan Watts suffered a nasty injury during the preseason, and he spent 2024 on injured reserve. Recently, he underwent surgery, and his feelings before the procedure were captured.

“I feel great,” Watts said in a video on his girlfriend Sierra Lane Victoria’s YouTube channel. “It’s a stepping stone to the next phase: recovery. I feel blessed. Lot of prayer on this. And I’m optimistic, feel good.”

That’s an extremely positive attitude for someone about to have surgery to fix a problem that cost them their entire rookie season. It speaks to Watts’ level of maturity. Selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2024 draft, Watts’ path to making the team was always going to be an uphill battle. However, before his injury, he was showing some promise. It’s unfortunate that his rookie season was cut so short.

It’s still unclear what exactly Watts’ injury is. He’s been seen in a neck brace and any injury that keeps a player out for an entire season is usually never good. He seems to have faith this surgery should help him continue his career. Hopefully that is the case.

Luckily, Watts has plenty of time to recover. He’s correct that this adversity could just become a footnote in his journey. The 2024 season isn’t even officially over yet, with the Super Bowl being the only game left. If this surgery went well, maybe Watts will be ready to go for the 2025 season.

It’s nice to see the Steelers sticking by Watts during his recovery. Dealing with an injury like that has to be extremely mentally taxing, especially for a rookie. Cory Trice Jr., who also lost his rookie season due to injury, recently spoke about how concerned he was that the Steelers were going to cut him after he tore his ACL. That’s probably a thought shared by many injured Day 3 picks.

Here’s hoping Watts recovers well, not just for the Steelers, but for his own quality of life. He’s not only a football player but also a young man, and neck injuries are no joke. All fans can do is hope for the best, and that Watts’ next update will share good news.

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