T.J. Watt's Nightmare Injury May Force Steelers to Rethink Their Season

Steelers star linebacker T.J. Watt left Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth quarter after suffering a left ankle injury.

The injury occurred when Watt rolled his ankle in what appeared to be an unfortunate non-contact injury.

According to sources close to the team, Watt underwent initial tests immediately following the game, with further evaluation set to take place later this week.

When discussing the injury, Watt expressed his concern but remained optimistic about not missing an extended period of the season. However, the early stages of his recovery remain key to determining the exact timeline.

As one of the league's most dominant linebackers, Watt has been at the forefront of a Steelers defense known for its ferocity and strength at stopping opposing offenses.

With multiple lingering questions surrounding the health and availability of their critical defensive cog, the Steelers must weigh all available options when assembling their lineup for upcoming games. Topping the priority list is whether to implement a 'next-man-up' policy by promoting lesser-known talent to take Watt's place or attempt to scour the current free agent market for an experienced outside linebacker.

Although Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin refrained from setting any real timeline for Watt's return, fans can rest assured he and the medical staff would only allow Watt to return to active duty when he's fit enough to contribute productively to Pittsburgh's defensive strategy without risking long-term damage to the health of one of the team's prize assets.

Even with more than half of their games played in a season already packed with so many variables, Pitt's most pressing challenge of all is figuring out ways to emerge undefeated during such a concerning spell of injuries and uncertainty at an already stacked position.