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The Pittsburgh Steelers were back in action for the first time in 2019, and as Day 1 of Training Camp wrapped up, there as a No. 90 who wasn’t participating — as expected.
T.J. Watt, who is entering his third year in the NFL, suffered what was described as a mild hamstring pull at the end of the conditioning test Thursday and started camp off on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
Unlike during the regular season, a player can come off the PUP list at any time. But that time wasn’t on Friday when the players took the field for the first time in front of the fans who gathered for the team’s first public practice.
Plenty of fans were concerned about Watt’s hamstring when news broke Thursday, especially after he suffered a similar injury to start camp last year, but Mike Tomlin said after Day 1 of practice Watt didn’t participate, and could be labeled as day-to-day.
Check out the full media session with coach Tomlin below:
#LIVE: Coach Tomlin addresses the media following our first practice at #SteelersCamp. https://t.co/FytvPO1Akj
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) July 26, 2019
The Steelers should be cautious with Watt’s hamstring, to avoid any type of aggravation of the injury which could mean he is out longer than expected.
But if you find yourself in the camp of those concerned with the injury, remember how in 2018 Watt suffered a similar injury, didn’t miss a regular season game and registered double-digit sacks. No need to be concerned just yet.
Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black-and-gold as they prepare for the upcoming preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 9th. The next training camp practice is Saturday, July 27th, and is open to the public.