The Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker T.J. Watt has made a career proving that there’s almost nothing he won’t put his body through to stay on the field. The NFL fans barely stop scrolling anymore when they see broken bones and torn ligaments in the league. This is why seeing Watt’s name in the same sentence as “lung puncture” and “surgery” has unnerved the fans, as well as the Steelers’ legend James Harrison.

“I’m not letting just anybody dry-needle me. If you ain’t done 15-20 years, I’m not letting you dry needle me. I’m talking about somebody who does it on a weekly basis, 10, 15, 20 years of work, because everybody’s anatomy is not the same.” Harrison said.

He was more infuriated than shocked. Harrison joined the former Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden on the Deebo and Joe podcast and issued a warning after Watt underwent surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung after a dry needling session at the Steelers’ facility.

He continued, “Especially, working with professional athletes. This is their bread and butter. And teams should get somebody that actually does this, instead of just going and sending one of our people and getting licensed so we can do it, just have it legally done. Go and pay the money. You can find someone who actually knows what they’re doing, has been doing it for at least a decade or more, and has actual reviews or people saying, ‘I’ve had this treatment.’

The message from James Harrison conveys a simple yet effective point: if someone can obtain a “practitioner license” in just a few weeks, they should not be working on million-dollar athlete bodies.

Watt, who underwent a dry needling treatment session on Wednesday, after which he felt some lung discomfort and was sent to a local hospital for testing. Physical therapists use this treatment to address movement issues and help athletes manage pain.

The linebacker did not participate in practice on Thursday, after which he underwent surgery. Head coach Mike Tomlin also discussed Watt’s situation before his surgery, and confirmed that he will be out for the game against the Dolphins.

The Steelers fans will be hoping for a quick recovery and see him back on the field soon. While everyone waits, a quick update from T.J. Watt’s brother, J.J. Watt, has given some hope to T.J.’s fans.

J.J. Watt gives an update on T.J. Watt’s health

T.J. Watt’s brother, the Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt, shared the news of a successful surgery on his X account. While he mentioned that his brother has been released from the hospital, there was no update on his recovery timeline.

Along with his brother, Watt’s wife also shared an emotional message after his health scare.

“Yesterday, TJ completed a successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered early Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility. It has been a very long, hard couple of days, but he will be home soon to recover,” Dani wrote. “Thank you all for the incredible outpouring of love, prayers, and support the past couple of days.”

As for the team, Mike Tomlin will now turn his attention towards Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, or Jack Sawyer in the Watt’s absence. With a 7-6 record this season, the team sits at the top of the AFC North table. They will now welcome the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium on December 16, after their 27-22 win against the Baltimore Ravens.

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