Steelers Rookie Gets Huge Opportunity After T.J. Watt Injury

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the possibility of playing their Week 15 matchup without superstar defender T.J. Watt. Following a lung injury, Watt was hospitalized for further testing and evaluation. The scary incident put his status for Week 15 and the rest of the season into question.

Without Watt, the Steelers have a trio of edge rushers to turn to. Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith will start on the left and right edges, giving the organization a capable duo to depend on without Watt.

Behind them, it's a golden opportunity for rookie Jack Sawyer. The team's fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has had an impressive first year in the NFL, but he now has the chance to show just how high a ceiling he has in this league.

Uptick in Snaps

The Steelers are understandably very excited about Sawyer's potential, but in the meantime, they have been satisfied with his performance. As a first-year player, he's fallen into the usual role for Steelers rookies.

That role is a reserve defender and a key member of the special teams unit. According to Pro Football Reference, he's played in 78% of the team's special teams snaps but just 19% of their defensive snaps. He's played more than 18 defensive snaps just five times this season, but their Week 15 contest could be a season-high number of snaps for the 23-year-old linebacker.

Football player tackles — Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer (33) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Blind-Side Threat

Sawyer has 1.0 sacks on the season, but that one sack might foreshadow how he could be an effective pass-rusher against the Dolphins.

That previous sack came in the Steelers' Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. That play, he lined up as a strong-side defensive end as the Steelers blitzed six defenders. He went unblocked entirely between Yahya Black and Watt, and he had an easy path to taking down Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold.

Against the Dolphins, everything is flipped with their quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa is a left-handed thrower, making the usual strong-side the weak-side for Week 15. Sawyer could get after Tua from the weak-side, his blind side, and hopefully record his second sack of the season.

Fan Favorite Keeps Growing

Not only does the organization love Sawyer, so does the fanbase. He's a national champion from his time with the Ohio State University, and that already endeared him to the Pittsburgh faithful.

His hard-working, blue collar game has earned him even more fanfare. If he can have a standout performance aginst the Dolphins, he may become an even bigger folk hero for Steelers Nation.

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