T.J. Watt in hospital for lung evaluation; Steelers star's status for Monday's game in question

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The Steelers announced on Thursday that star pass rusher T.J. Watt is in a Pittsburgh-area hospital for an evaluation of his lung after experiencing discomfort at the team’s facility on Wednesday.

Watt did not participate in Thursday’s practice, the Steelers’ first of Week 15, and his status for their Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins is in question.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters later on Thursday that Watt stayed overnight at the hospital on Wednesday.

“I’m a little bit cautious about what I say, because I am not a medical expert,” Tomlin said, via the team’s website. “But to make a long story short, he was experiencing some discomfort when he was at the facility yesterday. So, we took him to the docs (doctors) and they’re going through some procedures. … He has a lung situation that’s being addressed. I think he has some testing and so forth ahead of him this afternoon, and that’s all I know at this juncture.

“He and I communicated last night, he was comfortable, and that’s all I have really at this point.”

Tomlin confirmed that Watt’s status against Miami is “up in the air.”

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Watt, a ninth-year pro, has played in all 13 of Pittsburgh’s games this season, totaling 53 tackles, seven sacks and an interception. Last Sunday, Watt logged six tackles and a QB hit and played 68 of 77 defensive snaps in the Steelers’ 27-22 win over Baltimore.

The four-time first-team All-Pro has recently dealt with a toe injury but has not missed any significant time this season.

Tomlin told reporters that he didn’t know what caused Watt’s recent lung discomfort and that he had no knowledge of anything that would have led to the pass rusher being listed on the injury report prior to this week.

Pittsburgh (7-6) is in the middle of a tight race for the AFC North title. The Steelers host Miami (6-7) on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET.

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