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Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt poses with McKeesport football team on Nov. 8, 2022.
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Fresh off family time, T.J. Watt is ‘optimistic’ he’ll return Sunday for the Steelers

Brian Batko/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Fresh off family time, T.J. Watt is ‘optimistic’ he’ll return Sunday for the Steelers

T.J. Watt has been back at practice on the South Side, and Sunday he’s likely to make his return to game action on the North Side. But in between, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year had to make a couple stops in Arizona and McKeesport.

“Just to be able to spend some quality family time, you always come back from those trips with more motivation,” Watt said Tuesday of his bye week trip to see oldest brother J.J., his wife, Kealia, and their 2-week-old son Koa. “It was a breath of fresh air. And some nice weather, even though you guys might’ve had better weather [in Pittsburgh].”

It was a sunny, picture-perfect fall day as Watt met with the McKeesport High School football team, about 15 miles from where he’s “optimistic” he’ll rejoin the Steelers to take on the Saints in five days at Acrisure Stadium. The Tigers have their own big game Friday night, a WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal at Armstrong. Both McKeesport and Watt are partners with Six Star Pro Nutrition.

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One intrepid McKeesport player, senior defensive back Jimeer Brown, asked Watt the question everyone wants to know: When is he coming back from his Week 1 pectoral injury and subsequent arthroscopic knee surgery?

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“Hopefully this week,” Watt told them with a smile. “We’ll see.”

Watt practiced ahead of the Eagles game two weeks ago, but now he has had an extra seven days to rest, thanks to the open date. The Steelers need him if they want to salvage the second half of the season, and of course another Tigers player asked Watt what’s going on with the team sitting on a 2-6 record.

“You worry about your team; I’ll worry about mine,” Watt said with a laugh.

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But Watt’s words of encouragement to the 10-1 Tigers were no joke. He told them about his senior year at Pewaukee High School, when he and some of his closest friends were undefeated before having their season ended in the second round of the playoffs.

That still feels like it might be the biggest game he’s ever played in, Watt admitted, even though he’s been in the NFL postseason and the Big Ten championship. Watt’s message seemed to resonate with the Tigers, who count NFL alumni Brandon Short, Mike Logan and Khaleke Hudson among their ranks.

“If he’s one of the best players in the NFL and he still thinks about it, we’re gonna think about it forever,” McKeesport star running back Bobbie Boyd said. “This is something we can’t forget.”

Boyd and his teammates weren’t told of Watt’s visit beforehand, so all were surprised — in a state of shock, perhaps — when he walked onto the field at the start of their practice. Coach Matt Miller hopes it will help them lock in for the rest of this week, but first, they all got to have some fun peppering Watt with questions.

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Favorite color, pregame meal and best songs to listen to before kickoff all were brought up. Senior quarterback Jahmil Perryman wanted Watt’s thoughts on the best team in the WPIAL and got a politically correct answer on Election Day.

“He’s not really familiar, but he hears that we’re good,” Perryman said, “and NA” — North Allegheny. Watt had to throw in a plug for the other Tigers, given that Steelers nose tackle Tyson Alualu’s son Tyree is a standout junior running back and linebacker. North Allegheny is in Class 6A, anyway, so no harm, no foul for McKeesport.

Simply having some time to pick Watt’s brain was a thrill for the Tigers. And for Watt, getting back on the field will be a nice change of pace from standing on the sidelines. He watched McKeesport go through drills Tuesday, but he’s had enough of that over the last 10 weeks.

“I’ve just been using it all as motivation to work, and get back and make sure that when I get back, I can let loose and give it hell,” Watt said of the time away.

Oh, and in town for the game will be some of those lifelong friends he played with in high school. They’ll probably rehash all their own memories of Friday night lights before Watt tries to make an impact against the Saints.

Who knows, maybe someone from this McKeesport team will be playing with or against Watt five years from now.

“It just brings you back to Day 1,” Watt said. “I remember growing up, going to the high school football games, running around — all the little things that remind you of why I started playing this game, why I fell in love with it. It’s all about preparing when no one else is watching like these guys are doing right now. That helps you become successful.”

Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.

First Published: November 8, 2022, 9:57 p.m.
Updated: November 8, 2022, 11:45 p.m.

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Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt poses with McKeesport football team on Nov. 8, 2022.  (Brian Batko/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
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