The Pittsburgh Steelers are making headlines this offseason—and not just for the right reasons.
Yes, they’ve landed superstar talent in Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and Jalen Ramsey, but one glaring situation remains unresolved: T.J. Watt’s contract extension.
And it’s not sitting well with fans or analysts, including Colin Cowherd.
On his show this week, Cowherd broke down what many have been thinking but haven’t said out loud. “I said this a year ago,” Cowherd emphasized. “Pittsburgh, you lead the NFL again in defensive spending, and you're not paying TJ Watt the big money yet.”
His confusion is justified. How can the Steelers make splashy additions to their offense and secondary but hesitate when it comes to locking in the heart and soul of their defense?
Watt, who’s sat out of team activities while awaiting a new deal, has every right to do so.
Since entering the league in 2017, he’s tallied 108 sacks and 33 forced fumbles. His consistency, leadership, and relentless motor have defined Pittsburgh’s identity during seasons when the offense struggled to find rhythm.
In many ways, he is the Steelers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are delaying the inevitable with T.J. Watt
Cowherd didn’t mince words when he brought up the decision to part ways with Minkah Fitzpatrick, only to bring in Jalen Ramsey. “I'm like, how about just let go of Minkah Fitzpatrick and not bring in a more expensive guy in the secondary who's past his prime,” he said.
“Who bites on a lot of stuff, doesn’t quite have the makeup speed, the makeup ability he did like four years ago.” It’s a fair criticism—and one that puts added pressure on GM Omar Khan and the front office.
READ MORE:PFF just handed Steelers the perfect reason to extend T.J. Watt
It's hard not to question the priorities. If Watt is truly valued, why does it feel like he’s being treated as the final piece instead of the foundation?
To be clear, Watt will get paid. Both Cowherd and I believe it’s a matter of when, not if. But this shouldn’t be dragged out. The longer it goes, the murkier it gets—and the harder it becomes for fans to understand the direction of the franchise.
Money has a way of complicating things, but let’s not get it twisted: T.J. Watt deserves every penny. You don’t invest in a championship-caliber team and leave your best player hanging. The deal will happen. It has to.
More Steelers News and Analysis