Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt exited Sunday’s preseason game with a knee injury after he took a low block. Watt appears to have avoided a serious injury, but teammate Cam Heyward said afterward that defensive players shouldn’t be subjected to those kinds of blocks.
The low block Watt took from Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson was similar to the much-discussed low block Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux took from Bengals tight end Thaddeus Moss: Both blocks were legal, but were exactly the kinds of shots to the knee that NFL players hate to take.
Heyward acknowledged after the game that Hockenson’s block was legal, but he suggested a rule change is overdue, and that the NFL has prioritized offensive players over defensive players when it comes to player safety.
“We’ve done a lot for the offensive players. Where’s the help on defense?” Heyward asked.
The help on defense won’t come until 2023 at the earliest. This year, that remains a legal block.