Steelers staff hurt TJ Watt

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

Starting to see it reported that it was during a dry needling session? How does that even happen isn’t that essentially a more scientific take on acupuncture?

[Herc11]

5 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

 

Tyrod was getting a thoracic nerve block, got a pneumothorax, which quickly and spontaneously resolves in most such cases.  The main impact that injury had was forcing the Chargers to come to grips with the reality that TT had no business being their starter when they had just drafted Herbert.  TT is still starting games in the NFL. 

 

Pleural effusions are far more significant and secondary typically to a serious primary pulmonary or secondary abdominal process.  Pro athletes typically aren't walking around with these and even if he had one there's no chance an effusion would be drained outside of a hospital--in an NFL training room especially.

 

No matter what adjunnt imaging a provider uses to inject local to do a thoracic nerve block, the risk of pneumothorax is never zero.  

 

A nerve block makes sense, however, I have to ask, wouldn't a nerve block that high make quite a bit of that side of the thoracic area and abdomen numb? Also, which nerve are they targeting for this? 

Edited 23 hours ago by Herc11

[BillsShredder83]

15 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

Hurts the Steelers, which is fine by me.

 

Also hurts the Dolphins, because more meaningless wins for them will mean worse draft position, I guess? 

 

And also hurts the Patriots, if the Bills win on Sunday, because a motivated week 18 Dolphins team on an impressive late-season run could be formidable with momentum and nothing to lose?

 

And moreover, hopefully, helps ALL players by shining another light on player health and medical treatment, given that we've potentially seen this type of procedure-caused "injury" play out previously (and with MAJOR impact to the player in question: Tyrod Taylor of course)?

People were reading this just A-WAITINGGGG to pounce on you for this post lol

Imagine their disappointment reaching 4th paragraph hahahahaha

[Mr. WEO]

10 minutes ago, Herc11 said:

 

A nerve block makes sense, however, I have to ask, wouldn't a nerve block that high make quite a bit of that side of the thoracic area and abdomen numb? Also, which nerve are they targeting for this? 

 

Intercostal nerve blocks, not cutaneous nerves.  Just the nerves serving that rib, generally.

 

Don't recall seeing an injury listed for Watt......

Edited 22 hours ago by Mr. WEO

[bigK14094]

15 hours ago, US Egg said:

Here’s hoping the best. If it’s akin to Tyrod’s incident, he was home the next day.

I think TT was out for the season....home and collecting checks.

[Mr. WEO]

11 minutes ago, bigK14094 said:

I think TT was out for the season....home and collecting checks.

 

 

he was cleared to play by week 7 that year.  was Herbert's backup.

[US Egg]

21 minutes ago, bigK14094 said:

I think TT was out for the season....home and collecting checks.

He still got paid? Maybe he had a lot of sick time to use.

[BillsShredder83]

1 hour ago, Herc11 said:

 

I know the anatomy of the thoracic cavity. I've assisted in more thoracentesis' than I can count. The pleural space isn't the issue. It's the lung tissue that causes a problem. You can't do a thora without entering the pleural cavity

Ok smartie pants!

 

Then explain how women can urinate with a tampon in?!?!

 

They just like..... push really hard?

 

Or do they do it all out the same hole? The way that ducks and people from Australia do???

 

Is it a cloalca? Hurry back, I have to sleep next to a woman tonight!

 

IS 

IT

A 

CLOALCA

??!?!

[Ethan in Cleveland]

2 hours ago, Herc11 said:

 

I know the anatomy of the thoracic cavity. I've assisted in more thoracentesis' than I can count. The pleural space isn't the issue. It's the lung tissue that causes a problem. You can't do a thora without entering the pleural cavity

Thats what I said. 

If you are doing a thoracenteis the pleural cavity has fluid in it and thus there is room for the needle to not hit the lung. If no fluid there is precious little space between the pleura and the lung itself. 

 

[Yobogoya!]

2 hours ago, Herc11 said:

You can't do a thora without entering the pleural cavity

 

Yeah that's what grand-pappi always said. 

[zow2]

The Steelers record without Watt in the lineup is terrible over the past year or two.  This opens the door wide open for Baltimore to win that division. 

[vincec]

8 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

Steelers team doctor...

 

 

Seriously, though. Watt needs to get better soon. They have to take that division. 

Actually, it’s this guy

[Thurman#1]

On 12/12/2025 at 12:39 PM, Richard Noggin said:

Hurts the Steelers, which is fine by me.

 

Also hurts the Dolphins, because more meaningless wins for them will mean worse draft position, I guess? 

 

And also hurts the Patriots, if the Bills win on Sunday, because a motivated week 18 Dolphins team on an impressive late-season run could be formidable with momentum and nothing to lose?

 

And moreover, hopefully, helps ALL players by shining another light on player health and medical treatment, given that we've potentially seen this type of procedure-caused "injury" play out previously (and with MAJOR impact to the player in question: Tyrod Taylor of course)?

 

 

Totally positive, then.

 

 

[Herc11]

9 hours ago, BillsShredder83 said:

Ok smartie pants!

 

Then explain how women can urinate with a tampon in?!?!

 

They just like..... push really hard?

 

Or do they do it all out the same hole? The way that ducks and people from Australia do???

 

Is it a cloalca? Hurry back, I have to sleep next to a woman tonight!

 

IS 

IT

A 

CLOALCA

??!?!

 

Oh the anatomy of a female, especially a geriatric female. The horrors we see and.... Smell in the hospital 🤣🤣

[Herc11]

9 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Thats what I said. 

If you are doing a thoracenteis the pleural cavity has fluid in it and thus there is room for the needle to not hit the lung. If no fluid there is precious little space between the pleura and the lung itself. 

 

My bad, sounded like you were saying entering the pleural cavity causes a pnuemo

[pennstate10]

On 12/11/2025 at 10:58 PM, Herc11 said:

I HIGHLY doubt this had anything to do with pain killers being administered and "popping" a lung. You wouldn't be putting a local that deep and through the ribs. Locals aren't given that deep and neither are opioids or nsaids.

 

Maybe he had a pleural effusion and they were doing a thoracentesis. That very well could have done it, and it happens more frequently than you would imagine.

If he had a pleural effusion, they wouldn’t be draining it in the locker room. 
He would be in a hospital with IR. 
 

Maybe he was trying to numb a cracked rib, although I’m not sure why hey would do that for practice. 

Edited 11 hours ago by pennstate10
More info

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

16 hours ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

Starting to see it reported that it was during a dry needling session? How does that even happen isn’t that essentially a more scientific take on acupuncture?

I thought a 'dry needling session' was what most of the comments are here on TBD-TSW. 🤔

9 hours ago, vincec said:

Actually, it’s this guy

No, didn't he end up in Dallas for a while?