When the Steelers selected T.J. Watt with the 30th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, we knew Pittsburgh was getting the younger brother of a three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner; we didn't know they would be getting a future NFL legend in his own right.
By the end of his second season in the league in 2018, Watt had compiled 20 total sacks and began his track as a perennial Pro Bowler. Watt became the AP Defensive Player of the Year after tying Michael Strahan's single-season sack record (22.5 sacks).
As good as Watt has been over the years, it's hard not to think about how much better things could have been if not for extensive injury history. Watt nearly left the sport while at Wisconsin after suffering four knee injuries, which required a pair of surgeries. Now he's considered one of the best players of his generation.
Watt has avoided catastrophic injuries in the NFL, but some ailments have been enough to restrain his play and keep him off the field at times. This has resulted in missing out on even more personal accolades and blowing by legendary benchmarks on a Hall of Fame pace.
Even with his bumps and bruises, Watt has proven to be one of the most important non-quarterbacks in football since entering the league and his impact on the field seldom goes unnoticed.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into T.J. Watt's injury history, recovery phases, and the long-term impact his injuries have had on his performance.
Early Career and Initial Injuries
As a rookie in 2017, T.J. Watt played and started 15 of 16 games. Even with Bud Dupree and an aging James Harrison on the roster, Watt quickly established himself as the best edge defender on the team.
Unfortunately, Watt suffered a setback very early in his career. Just 20 snaps into his second NFL game in Week 2 of the 2017 season, Watt sustained a Grade 1 groin pull. He was sidelined for the remainder of the game and missed the team's Week 3 contest against the Chicago Bears as a result (a game Pittsburgh would lose 17-23).
The young pass rusher bounced back from his first groin injury and played the rest of his rookie season without limitations -- recording 751 defensive snaps and 149 special teams snaps, via Pro Football Reference.
Watt was able to go the next three seasons avoiding the injury bug. On September 19, 2021, Watt suffered his second groin injury; this time, it was a Grade 2 groin strain that forced him out of the team's game against the Raiders and caused him to miss a game against the Bengals the following week. Both games resulted in losses for the Steelers.
This wasn't Watt's only injury in 2021. The Steelers star suffered both a hip strain and Grade 1 knee sprain against the Lions on November 14 that forced him out of action the following week against the Chargers. On December 9, 2021, Watt sustained another Grade 1 groin pull against the Vikings. He played just 25 snaps before missing the remainder of the game. All of this didn't prevent him from earning DPOY honors following the 2021 season.
On December 7, 2023, Watt suffered a Grade 1 concussion -- the first of his NFL career.
Major Injuries and Recovery Phases
Pectoral injury in 2022
After earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021, T.J. Watt suffered a major injury in Week 1 of the 2022 season. Against the Bengals in the season-opener, Watt suffered a Grade 3 pectoral tear that forced him out of action until Week 10 following Pittsburgh's bye week. Watt was able to avoid surgery and played the final nine games of the season, but this injury slowed the superstar as he earned just 4.5 sacks after the injury.
Unfortunately, this injury occurred in the prime of Watt's career as he had aspirations of winning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards. In less than one full game before sustaining the pectoral tear, Watt recorded six tackles, one sack, three tackles for a loss, two passes defended, and one interception against the Bengals before exiting the game.
Arthroscopic knee surgery in 2022
On August 20, 2022, Watt suffered a knee injury during the preseason. Watt put off surgery to start the season, but after sustaining the pectoral tear, the Steelers star decided to kill two birds with one stone. Watt had arthroscopic knee surgery while sidelined with a pec injury.
The former Defensive Player of the Year made a full recovery from this injury while rehabbing his torn pectoral muscle. This knee surgery did not affect Watt's performance when he returned to the field.
Recurring Issues and Long-Term Impact
Unfortunately, Watt has had recurring injuries over the years. Since his initial Grade 1 groin pull on September 17, 2021, the All-Pro edge defender re-injured the same groin on September 19, 2021, and again on December 9, 2021.
Knee issues have also plagued Watt since college. After a lengthy history that included four knee injuries for the Badgers, Watt's first knee issue in the NFL occurred on November 14, 2021 (Grade 1 knee sprain). He later suffered a knee tear on August 20, 2022, and a Grade 2 MCL sprain in the season finale against the Ravens in 2022.