PITTSBURGH --Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is confident that the team will reach a deal with star outside linebacker T.J. Watt, but added he is unsure of exactly when that will happen.
“I’m not going to get into speculation there,” Tomlin said. “You guys know what negotiations is about; I’m optimistic we’re going to get things done because we got two sides that want things done. When that’s going to occur, I don’t know.”
Tomlin added that he and Watt have exchanged messages over the last few days, including this week during mandatory minicamp, as Watt has been away from the facility.
Tomlin would not share the contents of those messages, and he did not know if Watt would show up at training camp on July 24 for the team’s first practice without a new deal.
Steelers legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger thinks Watt’s absence could be a bigger deal for coaches in the locker room. He does not need to be there for football reasons, but establishing his leadership in the locker room is critical, Roethlisberger thinks.
“Is it the biggest deal in the world that he’s not there, for football, no, I don’t think,” Roethlisberger said. “For the locker room and that kind of stuff, that’s going to be the interesting part. Most players don’t get too worked up if other guys aren’t there because they’re like, ‘Take care of your business...’ I think it’s a bigger deal – coaches.”
Watt has one year left on his contract, but after Myles Garrett landed a $40 million per year contract, things became sticky for the Steelers. They will have to get near that amount, in money per year and guaranteed money, for the deal to ultimately get done.