The Pittsburgh Steelers were dealt a massive injury blow in their third and final preseason NFL game as two of their top stars went down with injuries.
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson and linebacker T.J. Watt both left the game in the first half with injuries. Johnson injured his shoulder after catching in a 38-yard reception while Watt got a knee injury due to a block to the knee by a Detroit Lions lineman.
Preseason NFL games are necessary evils. It’s key for everyone to get some reps before the start of the regular season but the risk of injury is high and you don’t want to expose your top players to potentially get hurt in a preseason game that might put him out for when it counts.
Thankfully, both injuries didn’t seem to be serious. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told CBS’ Evan Washburn that they might still be playing if it was a regular season game. But since it isn’t, they were sitting out the rest of the game.
"Mike Tomlin said: 'Look, if this was a regular season game, we might see those guys back in this game.' So there's no long term concern at the moment for either player."
– @EvanWashburn on injuries to Diontae Johnson and TJ Watt pic.twitter.com/Lr2bjV4tD0
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) August 28, 2022
The news spurred reactions from many. While some breathed a sigh of relief, others questioned why Tomlin had so many starters playing in the final preseason game in the first place.
TJ Watt heading to the locker room in a game he shouldn’t even be playing in
— lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) August 28, 2022
https://t.co/zpnGtTthIw pic.twitter.com/QM34ZJJYTw
— Jamey Eisenberg (@JameyEisenberg) August 28, 2022
Steelers fans seeing TJ Watt get hurt in the last preseason game pic.twitter.com/MprrPpato2
— MC Gusto (@theMEZ9) August 28, 2022
https://t.co/4XTn35W7Dd pic.twitter.com/vfYe9ZcYyZ
— Jacob Fabian (@16fabianjacob) August 28, 2022
I can breathe again https://t.co/qh2a8F5hlp
— h (@handuffy7) August 28, 2022
4 first downs.
Diontae Johnson out, TJ Watt a non-contact knee injury.
This has been an unmitigated disaster.
Preseason games are dumb.
— Chris Mack (@THEChrisMack) August 28, 2022
