Steelers Injury Updates: Watt, Johnson Minor; Kazee ‘Serious’

During his postgame press conference following the Steelers’ 19-9 preseason finale win over the Detroit Lions, Mike Tomlin reiterated that Diontae Johnson (shoulder) and T.J. Watt (left knee) injuries are not considered to be serious. Johnson went into the blue tent shortly after a 38-yard reception from Mitch Trubisky in the first quarter, while Watt suffered his injury on a cut block from Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson in the second quarter.

“Maybe they could have come back into the game had it been different circumstances and so forth,” Tomlin said. “But we’ll monitor those guys, and evaluate them and proceed from there.”

Safety Damontae Kazee suffered a left arm injury in the third quarter and did not return. Kazee made a tackle on a running play on the first defensive series of the third quarter, and it appears to be a serious injury. Kazee was on the sideline with a sling on his arm.

“Kazee’s injury could be described as more serious,” Tomlin said. “He’s being evaluate now, and it makes his availability in the near future questionable.”

Wide receiver Chase Claypool was one of eight Steelers players who did not dress in Sunday’s game at Acrisure Stadium. Claypool had a sleeve on his right calf during warmups, but it’s unclear why Claypool was out.

Fullback Derek Watt missed his third straight game with a shoulder injury. Inside linebacker Marcus Allen, offensive tackle Joe Haeg (concussion protocol) and outside linebacker Alex Highsmith (ribs) were the other players who did not dress.

Defensive tackle Montravius Adams (ankle), wide receiver Calvin Austin III (foot sprain), defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk (side) and slot cornerback Arthur Maulet (hamstring) had all previously said they would not play in the game. 

Cornerback Carlins Platel was slow to get up and trainers came out to look at his knee on the final defensive series of the game. The team did not announce an in-game injury report for Platel and Tomlin did not list him among the injured players after the game.