Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt suddenly finds himself at a crossroads as he heads into the final year of his contract. With trade talks already allegedly happening between several teams for Watt, the star outside linebacker’s future in Pittsburgh is up in the air. He leaves little doubt that he has cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats to play in the NFL. He’s sixth among active players in the league with 108 career sacks.
Watt has shown time and again he was the most accomplished player over the years, earning 5.5 more sacks than second-place finisher Myles Garrett. His dominant play led him to being named a four-time All-Pro. In 2021, he won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award. For all his success, Watt missed the mandatory minicamp and voluntary OTAs in the current offseason. Second, that’s raised doubts about his commitment thus far during the active contract negotiations.
In 2021, Watt signed a big four-year contract at $112 million, $28 million per year, along with a $23 million signing bonus. He’ll celebrate his 31st birthday in mid-October. Today, he is out there aggressively looking for a new deal that reflects that value and his apex-level abilities as one of the league’s most impactful defenders.
Indeed, reports indicate that Watt vented his personal frustration with the negotiation process through an Instagram post this past April. Even more speculation about his future with the Steelers has ensued after this. The risk that a trade poses makes matters much worse. Several squads are apparently in hot pursuit of him, exhibiting their serious intentions to make a play.
Watt has spent his whole eight-year career already with the Steelers and has earned a reputation as one of the key cornerstones of their dominant defense. Conversations around his next steps have already begun. It’s still up in the air as to whether he’ll commit to a new contract with Pittsburgh or seek out options on the open market.
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