Steelers' T.J. Watt laments season-ending injury to Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley
BALTIMORE — T.J. Watt opened his press conference Sunday by offering sympathies for Baltimore Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley, who sustained a season-ending ankle injury late in the first quarter of the Steelers’ 28-24 victory at M&T Bank Stadium.
Watt rolled up on Stanley’s ankle while pressuring quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was sacked for an 8-yard loss by Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt.
An air cast was placed on Stanley’s leg, and he left the field on a medical cart. The Ravens announced after the game that Stanley, who signed the richest contract for an offensive tackle in NFL history two days earlier, won’t return until 2021.
“I saw the play how Stanley got hurt, nothing intentional there,” Watt said before taking questions from reporters. “I feel for a guy like that, and I hope he makes a full recovery. Nothing like that is ever intentional. Sometimes that happens on the football field.
“I feel for you, Ronnie.”
Stanley’s extension calls for him to make $98.75 in new money over the next five seasons. It includes $68.57 million in guaranteed compensation.
“It’s a tough loss, obviously,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I feel bad for Ronnie. He’s a guy who has been playing well. … The contract situation, it’s not really the main thing. The main thing is he wants to play and he wants to be a part of it. He has worked very hard to be out there and contribute. That’s the nature of the game, often times, unfortunately.”
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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