Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt. Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Report: T.J. Watt's pec injury won't end his season

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 9/12/22

The injury news about T.J. Watt appears to be positive.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that Watt’s pec injury suffered in Sunday’s overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals will not end the defensive star’s season.

#Steelers star T.J. Watt is still gathering additional opinions, but the belief is his pectoral tear will not require surgery and is not season-ending, sources tell me and @RapSheet. His exact return date depends on the healing process, but it could be before the end of October.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 13, 2022

Further, Pelissero and Rapoport say Watt could be back before the end of October despite having a torn pec. Watt is likely to land on injured reserve, which would cause him to miss four games.

Watt returning after missing six weeks would be pretty amazing for Pittsburgh considering just how bad things could have been. A torn pectoral muscle often requires season-ending surgery.

Watt, 27, is an anchor on the Steelers’ defense. The four-time Pro Bowler is coming off a 22.5 sack season that helped him win the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award. The defense is the strength of Pittsburgh’s team, and it’s not as stout without Watt on the defensive line.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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