The Pittsburgh Steelers could have avoided disaster just weeks before the start of the regular season.
Professional players TJ Watt and Diontae Johnson left Sunday’s pre-season final against the Detroit Lions with injury.
According to the head coach Mike Tomlinare also not expected to suffer anything that might keep them “long-term”.
Watt left the game with a knee injury shortly after receiving a cross. The All-Pro three-timer was seen on the sidelines afterwards without a bandage or brace on his knee.
Johnson suffered an obvious shoulder injury after catching up midway through the opening half. Like Watt, Johnson was seen on the sidelines in street clothes later in the game.
While it looks like Watt and Johnson will be ready for Week 1, there will likely be questions about why the Steelers would play them in a pointless pre-season game, fraught with potential injury risk.
Watt is having one of the best seasons of his five-year NFL career. The 23-year-old leads the league with 22.5 covers, post 64 tackles (21 losses) and five clumsy catches.
Meanwhile, Johnson won the Pro Bowl career nod last season. 26 years old ends with career peak on touch (107), yard (1,161) and touchdown (eight) in 16 regular season games for the Steelers.
