Steelers release 2024 pick Ryan Watts due to neck injury

In the wake of the 2025 NFL Draft fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers are excited about the 7 new players they have acquired during the 3-day selection process. Not many think about the 2024 class, and the vibes at this juncture of the season are usually positive.

However, Monday saw the end of a Steelers career before it ever got started with the team announcing they are releasing 2024 6th Round pick Ryan Watts due to a neck injury.

Watts was a player who most fans didn’t expect much out of, but he played well in the preseason making fans think he could be a depth piece in the secondary. A neck injury in the preseason finale vs. the Detroit Lions put his status for the season in jeopardy. Watts landed on the Injured Reserve (IR) after his “neck injury”, as Mike Tomlin labeled it after the game, and the injury turned out to be far more significant than anyone ever anticipated.

In fact, according to Watts’ social media accounts, he underwent surgery to address a “significant” neck injury.

Monday Steelers GM Omar Khan released the following statement on Watts being released:

Statement from GM Omar Khan on Ryan Watts: pic.twitter.com/9fYfVFB5ez

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 28, 2025

Earlier this offseason I wrote an article about Watts undergoing neck surgery and I included the following paragraph:

“When you see the significance of the injury, you have to ask questions about Watts’ future in the game of football. There are times like this when you hope a player is able to return to a stable state of life, and not so much his future within the organization. Football becomes secondary in this regard, and the hope is Watts is able to make a full recovery.”

Football become secondary, and in this case you hope Watts is able to regain a normal life without limitations, even though his dream of playing in the NFL might be over.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of the offseason and prepare for training camp.