TJ Watt practiced today. So does that mean he'll play Sunday?

Tomlin: "Like I said yesterday, I'm proceeding with that assumption."

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) September 8, 2021

The Pittsburgh Steelers got a welcome sight on Wednesday as star outside linebacker T.J. Watt returned to practice. Watt has basically sat out all of training camp and the preseason because he’s looking for a contract extension.

On Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin predicted Watt would be at practice and he was and now when asked if he expects Watt to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, Tomlin stuck to his guns and said he is “proceeding with that assumption.”

All of this begs the question, “What is going on with Watt’s contract?” If Watt isn’t getting the extension he wants and just decided to start practicing, it made his entire hold in a little pointless.

Or it could mean the two sides have agreed in principle to a new deal and they are just waiting to announce it.