Pittsburgh Steelers Edge Rusher TJ Watt Clears Concussion Protocol

The Pittsburgh Steelers should have their most transcendent superstar on the field for Week 15. Senior Director of Communications Burt Lauten announced that edge rusher T.J. Watt is officially out of concussion protocol, clearing the way for him to play in Sunday's crucial AFC showdown against the Indianapolis Colts.

#Steelers LB T.J. Watt has been cleared by an independent neurological consultant and is no longer in the concussion protocol.
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) December 14, 2023

Watt appeared dinged up early in the first quarter of Week 14's 21-18 loss to the New England Patriots but went on to play 52 snaps, which is a fairly typical workload for the three-time All-Pro. However, he fell short of his usual stellar production, failing to register a sack for only the third time this year.

Watt, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, is one of the truly elite defenders in the NFL and is in the middle of yet another excellent season. He has logged 14.0 sacks through 13 games this year, and his 91.5 career sacks are the second-most of all time through 100 games, behind only Hall of Famer and 13-time Pro Bowler Reggie White's 105.

That sort of explosive pass rush will be crucial for the Steelers as they try to sneak into the playoffs. At 7-6, they face a veritable gauntlet over the last month of the season. Following this week's game against the Colts, they host the surprisingly feisty Cincinnati Bengals before finishing on the road against the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens.