2025 NFL Week 15 Buzz: Colts’ Rivers QB1?; Steelers’ Watt Undergoes Lung Surgical procedure

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:

Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt underwent surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung sustained during a dry-needling session and will miss Monday’s visit to Miami. J.J. Watt, T.J. Watt’s older brother, posted on X that T.J. had the surgery on Thursday.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after practice Friday that T.J. Watt was home resting comfortably but would be unavailable when Pittsburgh (7-6) hosts the surging Dolphins (6-7). Asked if Watt could be out for an extended period, Tomlin said he hadn’t looked beyond this week.

Watt was hospitalized on Wednesday after reporting what the club described as “discomfort” while being treated by Steelers medical staff at the team facility. J.J. Watt said T.J. was having a dry-needling session at the time.

Tomlin said he had “no idea” about the details of Watt’s dry-needling session but added he was not in a position to ‘dispute something said by someone close to him.”

A seven-time Pro Bowler and the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the 30-year-old Watt has seven sacks this season for the Steelers, who hold a one-game lead over Baltimore for the AFC North lead with four weeks remaining.

Higgins (concussion) and Harrison (heel) will miss their respective team’s Week 15 matchups. Higgins has totaled 46 receptions for 667 yards and nine touchdowns through 12 games this season. Harrison has totaled 40 receptions for 594 yards and four touchdowns through 10 games.

Colts coy on naming QB1 after adding Philip Rivers to practice squad

The Indianapolis Colts bolstered their injury-depleted quarterback corps by bringing 44-year-old Rivers out of retirement. But, with Week 15 on the horizon, head coach Shane Steichen praised Rivers’ readiness but declined to name a starter.

“He’s got great command in the huddle. He was throwing it well,” Steichen said, per ESPN. “So we’re excited for it. He’s fired up for the challenge, getting back into it, getting back in the fold feeling the pass rush. Got some good work in that.”

The Colts have shown faith in Rivers since signing him to the practice squad on Wednesday. The move came less than 24 hours after Steichen confirmed 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 the Week 14 loss to the Jaguars.

Despite his history with Steichen on the Chargers, it remains to be seen if Rivers is comfortable with Indianapolis’ playbook — or had enough time to work his way into game shape. The reeling Colts will try to snap a three-game losing streak and keep their playoff hopes alive on Sunday 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.

Giants list Lawrence as questionable for Week 15

New York could be without star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence after listing him as questionable with a hamstring injury following a limited practice on Friday.

Lawrence popping up on the injury report this late in the week could be a sign the three-time Pro Bowler could a growing list of unavailable players for Sunday’s home game against the Commanders.

Cook will start at quarterback for the Jets in their road matchup against the Jaguars, head coach Aaron Glenn announced on Dec. 12. Last week, Cook entered the game during the Jets’ Week 14 loss to the Dolphins when Tyrod Taylor suffered a groin injury. Cook totaled 163 passing yards, zero passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 35.8 passer rating, while completing 46.7% of his passe. New York signed Cook as an undrafted free agent last offseason.

Dallas’ star wideout has cleared concussion protocol and will be active for the team’s home game against the Vikings, per NFL Media. Lamb left the Cowboys‘ Week 14 loss to the Lions with a head injury. Lamb, a four-time Pro Bowler, missed three games earlier this season due to a high ankle sprain. In 10 games played, he has totaled 57 receptions for 865 yards and three touchdowns. Dallas is 6-6-1 and 2.5 games out of the third NFC wild-card seed.

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 DL coach

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 ex-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. 

Smith did not practice Wednesday because a shoulder injury, placing his status for Sunday in question. Head 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 the Broncos. He was not available for comment Wednesday. Pickett replaced Smith and completed 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards and a score.

Washington will be without quarterback Jayden Daniels for its road matchup against the 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 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.

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 sport, and so I’m appreciative of our medical consultants,” Tomlin mentioned. “We simply exercised an abundance of precaution. We didn’t need to get him within the air with out having an entire understanding about what he was coping with, they usually did a very good job of that.”

Metcalf completed with season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (148) as Pittsburgh regained management of the AFC North. The 2-time Professional Bowler additionally stuffed in as a gunner on punt protection late within the recreation after particular groups ace Ben Skowronek exited with an damage, one thing Metcalf hadn’t performed since highschool. Tomlin acknowledged that Metcalf is “transferring in the correct path” and he does not anticipate the problem jeopardizing Metcalf’s availability.

Kelly, who leads Las Vegas with three interceptions, was positioned on IR on Dec. 9 with a season-ending tear in his patellar tendon. The crew signed cornerback Chigozie Anusiem off Arizona‘s follow squad in a corresponding transfer.

Kelly was injured within the Raiders’ 24-17 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. “It was only a freak accident,” head coach Pete Carroll mentioned Monday. “You didn’t see it buckle or something. He simply planted — and typically that occurs.”

Head coach Dan Quinn introduced that Ertz would miss the remainder of the season after the 13-year veteran tore his ACL within the Commanders‘ 31-0 shutout loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Ertz, who was upended throughout an incomplete cross over the center thrown by backup QB Marcus Mariota after starter Jayden Daniels was sidelined after reaggravating his elbow damage, left the crew’s locker room on crutches. Ertz was unable to place any weight on his leg when he was helped off the sphere and was visibly upset as he reached the sideline earlier than being transported inside on a cart. 

A second-round draft choose by Philadelphia and a Tremendous 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 good finish (825) within the NFL since his debut in 2013, trailing solely Travis Kelce (1,063 getting into Sunday).

Browns identify rookie QB Shedeur Sanders as starter for remainder of season

Following a robust efficiency in opposition to the Titans on Sunday, Sanders has formally been named the Browns‘ starter for the rest of the season. He threw for a career-high 364 yards and three touchdowns — plus a fourth on the bottom — within the slender 31-29 loss. Sanders joins Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow as the one rookie quarterbacks with at the very least 350 passing yards, three landing passes and one speeding rating in a recreation.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski can be satisfied that Sanders can study from his errors, such because the ill-fated third-quarter interception the place he scrambled and threw a deep cross to the center of the sphere — which was picked off by Tennessee’s Xavier Woods. The interception would later result in the Titans scoring the go-ahead landing.

“I feel he has consistently and persistently gotten higher in every one among these video games,” Stefanski mentioned. “He’s been working very onerous, so I be ok with the place his growth is heading. He is aware of there are at all times going to be performs that he could be higher … however he’s very intentional about getting higher every recreation he’s on the market.”

Buccaneers welcome again two-time Tremendous Bowl champion cross rusher

A well-recognized face has returned to Tampa Bay. The Bucs have signed defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul, 36, to the follow squad, setting him up for an opportunity to assist his former crew’s cross rush and playoff push with 4 video games left within the common season. 

A 2010 first-round choose by the New York Giants, Pierre-Paul beforehand performed for Tampa Bay from 2018 to 2021 and was a member of the membership’s Tremendous Bowl LV-winning protection in 2021. Pierre-Paul has 94.5 sacks, 632 tackles and 21 pressured fumbles in 180 profession video games, together with his final motion coming in 2023 when he performed one recreation for the Saints and two for the Dolphins.

The Related Press contributed to this report.

Need nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports activities account, and comply with leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a customized publication each day!