T.J. Watt Feeling 100% after Full Game vs. Saints

PITTSBURGH — Just before 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon T.J. Watt made his triumphant return to the Acrisure Stadium playing surface, preforming his signature run and jump out of the tunnel before re-joining his Pittsburgh Steelers for the team’s Week 10 game against the New Orleans Saints.

All was right with the world.

Watt, ever the self-critic said that his explosive leap might not have been to its usual level after knee surgery. 

“I might not have gotten as high this time, but it was fun,” Watt said.

But he sure looked like the same player on the field against the Saints. Watt played almost his normal amount of reps, taking a couple series off for Malik Reed, but not many more than he usually did.

He didn’t have quiet his normal impact statistically, racking up four tackles and one quarterback hit, but it was clear all game that Saints quarterback Andy Dalton was well aware of where No. 90 was coming from on every single play. The Steelers beat the Saints, 20-10, thanks largely to a defensive performance that was greatly aided by Watt’s return.

Watt said he was not limited by the two injuries. He initially went down with a torn pectoral muscle in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and then also had a minor knee procedure done on top of that while he he was out. But he felt fine on Sunday.

“No, I mean, aside from my legs feeling like wet noodles,” he joked. “That was about it.”