The Pittsburgh Steelers extended T.J. Watt on a three-year contract that will make him highest-paid non-quarterabck in the NFL for the second time in his career. Watt will make $41 million per year, but not everyone thinks the deal makes much sense for the Steelers.
FS1’s Nick Wright says the deal is an outright mistake by the Steelers, and they needed to either let Watt play out his deal or trade him with his demands. Wright also dislikes his $108 million guaranteed contract.
“The Steelers are gonna continue to have eight, nine wins,” Wright said on First Things First. “Their path out was recognizing, and they weren’t gonna do this once Aaron Rodgers signed, but to trade T.J. Watt, get great capital for it, and eventually get a quarterback. Instead, they do this. I think it’s a mistake. I also think T.J. Watt, I don’t know where he is as far as career arc.”
Watt, 30, had 11.5 sacks a season ago and dealt with multiple injuries that cooled him off down the stretch. Before the injuries, Watt was the odds-on favorite to win the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Award, which would have been his second in a storied career.
Drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Watt tied the single-season sack record in 2021 with 22.5 sacks. Over his Steelers career, he has accumulated 108 career sacks, surpassing the team’s previous record. Now, this contract makes it likely Watt will retire a Steeler, something that the superstar notably wanted to do at the end of the season.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.