T.J. Watt, outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is all set to begin his ninth season in the National Football League. He’s about to turn 31 on October 11. In a strategic change, he intends to mix up his pass rush technique, increasing the damage he inflicts on the gridiron. He just had a colossal pass rush last week. That success set up a nasty sack for his teammate Alex Highsmith.
Watt has established himself as one of the premier players in the league since being selected 30th overall by the Steelers in the 2017 NFL Draft. Over the years, his name has become synonymous with murderously oppressive pressure on opposing quarterbacks. In 2021, he racked up a historic 22.5 sacks and tied Michael Strahan’s record for the most sacks in a single season—all from his beloved left side. A year ago, he tore through the NFL, leading the league with 19 sacks. He even placed second in the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting, finishing just behind Myles Garrett.
“That’s something that this time of year is perfect for, to move around to get comfortable,” – T.J. Watt
During the first day of a recent training camp session, Watt took twelve snaps lined up on the right side. Of those, he took only ten snaps as a right outside linebacker. His new contract has $108 million guaranteed. This number represents the value he brings to the team and serves to motivate him to continue to learn new skills.
Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin went so far as to call Watt’s versatility as a chess piece the “foundation” of their defense. He admitted that changing Watt’s positioning makes it a lot harder for offensive teams to prepare their protections.
“At some point maybe Alex [Highsmith] was out, so [Watt] wanted to stick to his favorite side and all that stuff. We like when he moves around because it’s harder for the teams to just say, ‘Hey, TJ’s going to be over here. Let’s block it, set the protection,’” – Teryl Austin
Austin provided a lot of detail about their ambitious plan. Even as they shift Watt all over the field, they’re mindful not to disturb what has made Watt so successful on the left side.
“We’re moving him around a little bit, but we’re not going to move him around to our detriment. We know he’s had some really great seasons coming on that our defensive left, offensive right side, and he could still do that. We’re trying to open up for him and for others so we can get more sacks,” – Teryl Austin
Watt’s commitment to honing his craft manifests not just in strategies for days of the game. This summer, he wildly focused on developing his pass rush tools from both slots in addition to finalizing his record-breaking contract extension. His desire to get better is best reflected in his approach to training.
“It’s not about winning every single rep and having to be on the left side and having to get everything mastered on the left side. It’s about trying new things and moving around,” – T.J. Watt
Watt has a record of impressive, pro-people achievements. It all got a little attention recently in that game when he recorded his first sack from the right side on the Giants’ first possession. This was an important achievement for his career, having the past focused almost exclusively on the left.
Watt’s versatility has already started to pay dividends during practice session. Defensive line coach Dunbar said that precise placement across the line can really surprise and frustrate an offense’s run flow.
“We had him on the right, and then we moved him to the left,” – Dunbar
Dunbar reminisced about moving Watt’s position around to confuse opposing quarterbacks, allowing him to make more game-changing plays.
“The quarterback didn’t see him shift and left the protection on the left side of the offense. And he got the sack to clean the game up. That’s the kind of stuff moving good players around can do for you,” – Dunbar
As the Steelers embark on what will surely be another tumultuous competitive season, Watt’s expanding impact on defense makes them a well improved foe. He loves to be multifaceted and tactically rotates between centers. In doing so, the goal of this approach is to maximize governor’s effectiveness and his team’s success.
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