2025 NFL Week 15 Buzz: Steelers Star T.J. Watt in Hospital With Lung Issue

Who's starting, who's hurt, and who's on the move? 

NFL news is nonstop, and we're breaking it all down week by week this season.

Here's the latest on what's happening around the league entering Week 15:

T.J. Watt has lung issue

The Pittsburgh Steelers' star linebacker is in the hospital after experiencing discomfort in his lung at the team's practice facility on Wednesday, the team announced on Dec. 11. Watt will subsequently miss practice on Dec. 11, and his availability for Pittsburgh's Monday night matchup against the Miami Dolphins "is in question." Watt, a four-time All-Pro, has totaled seven sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, seven passes defended, one interception and 53 combined tackles through 13 games this season.

Ravens extend Travis Jones

Baltimore has signed Jones to a three-year, $40.5 million extension, per NFL Media. The deal includes $25 million guaranteed. This season, Jones has totaled one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 1.5 sacks, two passes defended and 34 combined tackles through 12 games. The Ravens selected Jones in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of UConn, and he has started 27 games over the past two seasons for Baltimore.

Giants HC won't comment on fired defensive line coach

New York Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka "again declined" to share details on the recent news that assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox was let go during the team's Week 14 bye. There was reported tension between Cox and the rest of the staff after previous head coach Brian Daboll was fired earlier this season, and things boiled over last week. Daboll brought Cox onto his staff when he was first hired in 2022, and now their departure will happen, basically, in tandem. 

Buccaneers star WR returns 

Wide receiver Mike Evans was added to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 53-man roster ahead of their game Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons. Evans hasn't played since Week 7 when he sustained a collarbone injury against Detroit. His return will help the Buccaneers as they battle with the Carolina Panthers for the NFC South. As will Jalen McMillan's presence — the second-year pass-catcher will come back in unison with his veteran counterpart. McMillan hasn't played this season after hurting his neck in a preseason game in August. 

Geno Smith likely out

Raiders quarterback Geno Smith did not practice Wednesday because a shoulder injury, placing his status for Sunday's game at Philadelphia in question.

Coach Pete Carroll termed Smith's status as day-to-day. Kenny Pickett, who was Jalen Hurts' backup last season with the Eagles, took first-team snaps in practice.

"I'll just wait and see what (Smith) feels like," Carroll said.

Smith injured his right (throwing) shoulder in the third quarter of Sunday's 24-17 loss to Denver. He was not available for comment Wednesday. Pickett replaced Smith and completed 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.

"Coming in late, I didn't much work with the first-team guys at all," Pickett said. "So the fact I can go out there and get some (Wednesday) would be huge."

Update on injured Bengals WR

Tee Higgins was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, according to head coach Zac Taylor, after the WR sustained his second concussion in the last three weeks in Sunday's game against the Bills. Despite sustaining multiple blows to the head, Higgins was cleared to remain in Sunday's game. However, following the contest, he approached Taylor omitting that he was experiencing symptoms. He was placed back in the concussion protocol, but is seemingly progressing, and could be available for Cincinnati in the near future.

Cook taking snaps at QB for Jets

Brady Cook will take the snaps with the New York Jets' starters at practice Wednesday, opening the possibility the undrafted rookie quarterback could start Sunday at Jacksonville. Coach Aaron Glenn said neither Tyrod Taylor nor Justin Fields will participate on the field while dealing with injuries, and the team will see how both quarterbacks feel as the week progresses.

"There's a plan for the quarterbacks," Glenn said. "Either way it works out during the week, we've got all our bases covered."

Taylor made his third straight start for the benched Fields last Sunday before injuring his groin late in the first quarter of the Jets' 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Cook, who was Taylor's backup because Fields was ruled out ahead of the game with knee soreness, filled in and went 14 of 30 for 163 yards and two interceptions in his NFL regular-season debut.

"I thought he did a pretty good job," Glenn said of Cook’s performance. "It was a tough situation for him with Tyrod going down and him not getting all the reps with the first team."

New York also signed Adrian Martinez to the practice squad after he was released Tuesday by San Francisco. Martinez, the 2024 UFL MVP and UFL championship game MVP, was with the Jets through training camp this past summer.

Commanders without QB1

Washington will be without quarterback Jayden Daniels for its road matchup against the New York Giants due to a left elbow injury, head coach Dan Quinn announced on Dec. 10. Daniels suffered the injury in Washington's Week 14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, which was the quarterback's first game back from a Week 9 elbow injury. Marcus Mariota will make his seventh start at quarterback for Washington, which is 3-10. Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, has seen his sophomore campaign be mired by knee and elbow injuries, with the quarterback boasting just an 88.1 passer rating (Daniels posted a 100.1 passer rating in 2024) and completing 60.6% of his passes (Daniels completed 69% of his passes in 2024) in the seven games that he has appeared in.

Steelers WR DK Metcalf expected to play Sunday

A brief hospital visit won’t keep Metcalf from playing next week against the Dolphins. Metcalf was hit hard in the abdomen during the team's 27-22 victory against the Ravens on Sunday and stayed behind when the issue persisted after Metcalf was treated with over-the-counter remedies during the game, according to head coach Mike Tomlin.

"It [probably got] progressively worse after the game, and so I’m appreciative of our medical experts," Tomlin said. "We just exercised an abundance of precaution. We didn’t want to get him in the air without having a complete understanding about what he was dealing with, and they did a good job of that."

Metcalf finished with season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (148) as Pittsburgh regained control of the AFC North. The two-time Pro Bowler also filled in as a gunner on punt coverage late in the game after special teams ace Ben Skowronek exited with an injury, something Metcalf hadn't done since high school. Tomlin stated that Metcalf is "moving in the right direction" and he doesn't anticipate the issue jeopardizing Metcalf's availability.

Raiders lose CB Kyu Blu Kelly for season

Kelly, who leads Las Vegas with three interceptions, was placed on IR on Dec. 9 with a season-ending tear in his patellar tendon. The team signed cornerback Chigozie Anusiem off Arizona's practice squad in a corresponding move.

Kelly was injured in the Raiders' 24-17 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. "It was just a freak accident," head coach Pete Carroll said Monday. "You didn’t see it buckle or anything. He just planted — and sometimes that happens."

Colts sign QB Philip Rivers to practice squad

The Colts bolstered their injury-depleted quarterback corps by bringing 44-year-old Rivers out of retirement and signing him to the practice squad, according to multiple reports. The move comes less than 24 hours after head coach Shane Steichen confirmed that Indianapolis' starter, Daniel Jones, would miss the rest of this season after tearing his right Achilles tendon and backup quarterback Riley Leonard injured his right knee during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars.

It's not clear how long it will take Rivers to learn Indianapolis' playbook — or work his way into game shape — as the reeling Colts try to snap a three-game losing streak next weekend at the Seahawks.

Rivers hasn't taken a snap since finishing his career with a playoff loss following the Colts' 2020 season; that was the last time Indianapolis made the postseason. The eight-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement in January 2021 and has been coaching at St. Michael High School in Fairhope, Alabama, ever since.

Commanders TE Zach Ertz tears ACL

Head coach Dan Quinn announced that Ertz would miss the rest of the season after the 13-year veteran tore his ACL in the Commanders' 31-0 shutout loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Ertz, who was upended during an incomplete pass over the middle thrown by backup QB Marcus Mariota after starter Jayden Daniels was sidelined after reaggravating his elbow injury, left the team's locker room on crutches. Ertz was unable to put any weight on his leg when he was helped off the field and was visibly upset as he reached the sideline before being transported inside on a cart. 

A second-round draft pick by Philadelphia and a Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, Ertz had 50 catches for 504 yards in 2025. In his second season with the Commanders, Ertz has the second-most receptions by a tight end (825) in the NFL since his debut in 2013, trailing only Travis Kelce (1,063 entering Sunday).

Browns name rookie QB Shedeur Sanders as starter for rest of season

Following a strong performance against the Titans on Sunday, Sanders has officially been named the Browns' starter for the remainder of the season. He threw for a career-high 364 yards and three touchdowns — plus a fourth on the ground — in the narrow 31-29 loss. Sanders joins Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow as the only rookie quarterbacks with at least 350 passing yards, three touchdown passes and one rushing score in a game.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski is also convinced that Sanders can learn from his mistakes, such as the ill-fated third-quarter interception where he scrambled and threw a deep pass to the middle of the field — which was picked off by Tennessee's Xavier Woods. The interception would later lead to the Titans scoring the go-ahead touchdown.

"I think he has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games," Stefanski said. "He’s been working very hard, so I feel good about where his development is heading. He knows there are always going to be plays that he can be better … but he’s very intentional about getting better each and every game he’s out there."

Buccaneers welcome back two-time Super Bowl champion pass rusher

A familiar face has returned to Tampa Bay. The Bucs have signed defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul, 36, to the practice squad, setting him up for a chance to help his former team's pass rush and playoff push with four games left in the regular season. A 2010 first-round pick by the New York Giants, Pierre-Paul previously played for Tampa Bay from 2018 to 2021 and was a member of the club's Super Bowl LV-winning defense in 2021. Pierre-Paul has 94.5 sacks, 632 tackles and 21 forced fumbles in 180 career games, with his last action coming in 2023 when he played one game for the Saints and two for the Dolphins.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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