Outside linebacker T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers will miss the NFL’s Pro Bowl games due to a knee injury that kept him out of the playoff game last week.
The Cleveland Browns announced that linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and guard Wyatt Teller would be traveling to Orlando for the game on February 2-4, which was how they learned about Watt’s absence. Joel Bitonio, a guard for Cleveland, is also choosing to sit out due to an injury.
The NFL switched from holding a traditional Pro Bowl game to a series of skills competitions two years ago.
This season, Watt made league history as the first player to lead the pack in sacks three times since the stat’s inception in 1982. 19 in 17 games for him.
Watt, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, may be a finalist once more this year. Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Myles Garrett of Cleveland are also seen as favorites to win the prize.
Coach Mike Tomlin stated on Thursday that Watt probably would have played if the Steelers had made it to this weekend’s divisional round of the playoffs. He was hurt in the knee in a collision with teammate Montravius Adams on January 6 in Baltimore during the regular-season finale. Watt was not there for Monday’s 31-17 Steelers loss to the Buffalo Bills.
