PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Asked if he could play Sunday by the Fan's Josh Rowntree, TJ Watt said "I don't know, we'll see." There is the status of TJ Watt as he continues his return from first, a pectoral and then a knee injury.
Watt is still on Injured Reserve and his 21-day clock just started on Wednesday, so the Steelers don't have to make a move this weekend. They would have to announce by 4p Saturday if they intend to activate him.
The Defensive Player of the Year confirmed he did work as a regular participant in practice, meaning he was out there as a normal, healthy player.
"Just going about my business, doing what I'm asked," Watt said. "Seeing how my body responds to the activity. I feel very encouraged with where I'm at right now."
"I feel good. Today is a good day, this week has been a good week for me. I just want to continue to go in the right direction."
As to whether he would prefer to get a game in before the bye week next week to see where he is at?
"I'm always going to do what's best for the team," Watt said. "What's asked of me. It's not my call."
He said it's been good reminder to not take the game for granted, he cherishes the opportunity to come back. Watt said it doesn't matter how the team is doing, he just wants to play. He misses the competitiveness among other things.
"When it's been more than a few weeks, there are a lot of aspects to it," Watt said. "The physical aspect, the mental too it always sucks when you can't physically put your hand in the pile and make a difference. Just trying to find any way I can get involved without stepping on too many toes. I'm excited to be back."
Asked if he's wired to play 10-15 snaps in a game to ease into coming back?
"I don't know, we'll have to see," Watt said perhaps hinting to that being an option for Sunday.
"The Steelers have invested in me and they want me to be here long term. I want to be here long term. I want to play at a high level. I have a lot of people in my corner that have my best interest and are going to make sure I'm doing what's right for myself and this football team."
Watt and teammates acknowledged how hard he worked to get back, he said he wants the acclimation period of when he gets back to be as short as possible. As he joked, he wasn't sitting around on the couch eating potato chips.
What he has learned by trying to stay involved and wearing a coach's headset during games.
"It's not time for me to be a coach," Watt said. "There's too much going on in that damn headset. So much that I didn't expect to be going on in that headset as far as strategy, play calls and all that. It's too much going on for me. I can't wait to take that thing off and play."
He didn't rule out it could be against the Eagles.
