Pittsburgh Steelers place linebacker T.J. Watt on COVID list before their critical Dec. 5 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
It’s been a rough Monday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the team comes off a 41-10 loss at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.
“They’re not my beloved Steelers anymore,” Ryan Clark said Monday morning on ESPN’s Get Up.
The harsh words from Clark, a former Steelers safety who won a Super Bowl with the team in 2009, hit hard for a team that has long prided itself on its physicality.
As if things couldn’t get any worse for the once-famous defense, the Steelers endured another pitfall on Monday when it was announced linebacker T.J. Watt was placed on the team’s COVID list.
Steelers place T.J. Watt on COVID reserve list
Watt began the 2021 season with a four-year contract extension worth more than $112 million, or $28 million per year. The contract made him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, illustrating his value on the Steelers team.
That was before the Steelers began to unravel, spinning out to a 5-5-1 record and third place in the AFC North. The only reason the Steelers are not ranked last is because the Cleveland Browns have one more loss at 6-6.
Although the conversation surrounding Pittsburgh has largely been about the decline of Ben Roethlisberger, Clark and others have commented on how the Steelers defense has let plays fall through the cracks on a team that lacks physicality.
Part of this is because when Watt is sidelined, the Steelers tend to lose. Watt was out in Week 11 against the Chargers, making his return against the Bengals crucial. Watt did play, but the All Pro linebacker has bee battling various injuries throughout the season.
Watt brought physicality to the defense, especially when roughing up Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow after the Steelers intercepted his pass. Watt called the Steelers loss “embarrassing.”
With Watt potentially out in Week 13 against the Ravens, the Steelers could their best player for week.