The Pittsburgh Steelers have shared very little about linebacker T.J. Watt’s injury, and that silence now appears deliberate. Watt suffered a partially collapsed lung during a dry needling session at the team facility. But the details about the incident emerged only after his brother, J.J. Watt, spoke out. And now, an NFL insider just claimed that Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin has deliberately kept himself in the dark regarding Watt’s injury.

“I know that it is a very sensitive and serious issue because Mike Tomlin seems to be deliberately avoiding any knowledge and any information,” NFL insider Mike Florio said on 93.7 The Fan this week. “He knows this is eventually gonna hit the fan, and people are gonna get questioned by lawyers and have to show up and testify and make statements. He knows nothing, and he doesn’t seem to wanna know anything.”

So, Mike Florio just suggested that Mike Tomlin’s lack of insight into T.J. Watt’s injury appears strategic. According to Florio, the Steelers’ HC doesn’t want to know specifics because he expects legal scrutiny down the line. That perspective sheds new light on why Tomlin has repeatedly avoided direct answers related to Watt’s injury.

Around the league, head coaches are typically looped into serious medical situations involving franchise players, even when details remain confidential. That’s what makes Florio’s claim stand out, not the lack of public disclosure, but the idea that a head coach would intentionally distance himself internally from an incident involving a cornerstone defender. 

Florio believes that Tomlin’s silence is about minimizing risk. If lawsuits or formal investigations arise, knowing fewer details now could help Tomlin avoid being dragged into legal proceedings later. From that standpoint, the approach makes sense, but does it sit right when the injured player is one of the most important figures in the franchise?

While no legal action has been announced, sports law experts have long noted that internal communication, or lack thereof, can become relevant in cases involving workplace medical procedures. Florio’s interpretation reflects that reality, even if no formal review or investigation has been made public.

The circumstances surrounding T.J. Watt’s injury have raised uncomfortable questions around the league. Dry needling has been considered a routine procedure, but it also has risks if performed incorrectly. The fact that Watt suffered a partially collapsed lung inside the team facility has naturally sparked concerns about oversight and accountability.

“Think about this in the big picture,” said Mike Florio. “One of the most important players on the team. If you are the head coach, this isn’t some routine sprained ankle. He got a hole in his lung in the team building with a procedure that, if you don’t do it properly, can put a hole in someone’s lung. And he knows nothing about what is happening. He knows nothing about the procedure. He knows nothing about his status. This is the kind of thing that doesn’t happen unless someone screwed up.”

That’s a strong statement from Florio and one that could resonate with fans. If something went wrong within the Steelers’ facility, shouldn’t there be transparency? As such, Florio also hinted at another potential fallout. He suggested that Watt may have lasting resentment toward the Steelers because of this injury. 

Whether that resentment materializes remains unknown, but player trust in medical processes is a critical component of any NFL locker room. Situations like this can quietly reshape how players view recovery protocols, transparency, and organizational accountability.

What have the Steelers revealed about T.J. Watt’s injury so far?

So far, the Steelers’ official statements regarding T.J. Watt’s injury have been limited. On December 11, Pittsburgh’s spokesperson Burt Lauten confirmed that Watt went to the hospital after feeling discomfort at the facility the day before. A day later, Mike Tomlin acknowledged that Watt had undergone a “medical procedure,” but he stopped short of offering specifics.

When asked directly whether the hospitalization resulted from dry needling, Tomlin deflected. He said he wouldn’t dispute comments made by someone close to Watt (J.J. Watt).

“I don’t have a lot of information, so I’m certainly not going to dispute something that’s said by someone close to him,” Mike Tomlin told reporters. “I hadn’t had discussions along those lines.”

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T.J. Watt then missed the Week 15 game against the Miami Dolphins after undergoing surgery to repair his partially collapsed lung. A day after the game, Tomlin then confessed that he wasn’t 100% certain if Watt was back at the facility. And the HC offered little clarity as to the availability of the team’s star pass rusher. 

“I’ve got no new news on T.J.,” Tomlin told reporters on December 16. “I’m sure I will a little later in the week, but I hadn’t heard any new updates regarding his availability or what that looks like as he starts to work his way back to us this week. No real news there.”

For now, the facts remain limited, and much of the narrative is being shaped by outside voices rather than the team itself. But if Mike Florio’s assessment is even partially accurate, Tomlin’s approach represents a calculated decision, one that prioritizes legal insulation over clarity. In a season where every game matters, the Steelers may soon find that silence carries its own consequences.