Steelers' TJ Watt Confident He Made The Right Decision Not To Play In The Playoffs, Even Though He Wishes He Could've

The Pittsburgh Steelers did everything they could and got some help from the Tennessee Titans to sneak into the 2023 NFL playoffs. Unfortunately, superstar outside linebacker, TJ Watt injured his knee in a collision with teammate Montravius Adams in the team's season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. This led to Watt missing the Steelers' Wild Card game against the Buffalo Bills. Watt isn't sure that his presence in the contest would've changed the outcome, but emphasized that the decision not to play was ultimately the right one for his health. 

Watt joined Mike Florio and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms on the set of Pro Football Talk Live on Radio Row at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas on Thursday. Florio asked the 2023 league leader in sacks if he thinks he could've been a difference-maker for the Steelers in their return to the postseason for the first time without long-time franchise quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. 

"I don't know," Watt said. "And we'll never know. I would've loved to have been able to play. If I had played, it wouldn't have been at 100 percent. I still would've loved an opportunity to play."  

Watt has dealt with different health issues throughout his career. The biggest of those injuries was in the 2022 season when he missed seven games due to a torn pectoral. He suffered the injury in Pittsburgh's season opener, visiting the Cincinnati Bengals. He was able to return eight weeks later, after the Steelers' bye week, to play against the New Orleans Saints. Watt posted the lowest sack total of his career with only 5.5, but still managed to secure his fifth nomination to the Pro Bowl. 

Steelers' Watt Thinks He Made The Right Call Not To Play

Pittsburgh sacked Josh Allen twice on Jan 15th after the game was moved from Sunday to Monday due to extreme winter weather in Buffalo. Outside linebackers Alex Highsmith and Markus Golden got to the Bills' quarterback in the contest. It is impossible not to wonder if that number would've been higher with an even less than fully healthy Watt. He might not have been able to be his full self, but the 2022 season showed what he is capable of when not playing at maximum health. 

To get started on his rehab and preparation for the 2024 season, he said the best call was for him not to play a week and a day after suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain. 

"It was probably the best thing for my knee to be able to take rehab the right way now," he said of not playing. "I feel great where I am right now."  

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported at the time that the best-case scenario for Watt would be to be able to return in two weeks with a brace on the afflicted knee. After losing to the Bills, this what-if situation was thrown by the wayside. Pittsburgh likely would've had to beat the Ravens for a third time in the 2023 campaign to advance to the AFC Championship to have any chance of Watt returning.

Watt has yet to be a part of a Steelers' playoff win in his career. He is still chasing that first postseason victory after playing in three games. Watt is by no means an old player, but he turns 30 in October. He realizes that he is starting to head towards the later stages of his career. His window of time in the NFL is beginning to close, and Watt wants to get every ounce out possible. It was a tough sacrifice for him to miss that playoff game in Buffalo, but he's hoping he has lots more time left, and keeping himself as healthy as possible is the best way to do that.  

Do you think Watt made the right call not to play against Buffalo? Do you think he'd have been a difference-maker? Comment below!

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