Steelers Face Bashlash Over Handling of T.J. Watt Concussion

The Pittsburgh Steelers have faced plenty of criticism for losing back-to-back games to opponents eight games below .500. But the Steelers now also find themselves in hot water over how they handled star outside linebacker T.J. Watt’s injury in Week 14 against the New England Patriots.

Watt suffered a blow to the head from the leg of Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott on the first play from scrimmage. Watt exited the game and entered the blue tent to receive an evaluation.

But he returned to play about his normal amount of defensive snaps — 52 plays on defense (91% of the team’s defensive snaps) and 4 on special teams.

Two days after the game on December 9, Pro Football Talk reported that Watt had entered the NFL concussion protocol.

NFL fans on Twitter questioned during the game whether Watt should have been allowed to return. The Amazon Prime Video cameras showed the defensive star appearing a little dazed on the sidelines.

Amazon Prime’s Kaylee Hartung reported the Steelers added a visor to Watt’s helmet to help him return to the game.

With the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year entering the concussion protocol on December 9, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio joined the group concerned about whether Watt should have returned in Week 14.

Florio wrote on December 10 that he has made three attempts to ask the NFL if there was a failure to remove Watt from the Patriots matchup. The league has yet to respond.

“There has been, and at this point likely will be, no response,” Florio wrote. “And that’s fine. But it will only increase suspicions that the process was mishandled from the get go.