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

Steelers' T.J. Watt after leaving opener with injury: 'I tore my pec'

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 9/11/22

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have suffered a significant loss in Week 1 of the NFL season.

Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt left Sunday's opener against the Cincinnati Bengals with an apparent pec injury.

Watt sustained the injury during the final drive of regulations, leaving with 16 seconds left on the clock.

Walking off the field, it appears Watt said, "I tore my pec."

I'm not a lip-reader, but there are others suggesting T.J. Watt's saying, 'I tore my pec,' in coming off a few minutes ago. He's gone to the locker room.pic.twitter.com/LtvogDv20n
— Dejan Kovacevic (@Dejan_Kovacevic) September 11, 2022

Watt has been relatively healthy during his five-year career, though he did miss two games last season with groin and knee injuries.

Watt had a strong game against the Bengals before exiting with an injury. He compiled six tackles (three for loss) with a sack and an interception.

T.J. Watt’s interception on Joe Burrow! #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/Y6eOd0W15o
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) September 11, 2022

Last season, Watt earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors for the third straight season. He finished with 64 tackles and a league-best 22.5 sacks in 15 regular-season games.

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