With a new contract in hand, one that made him one of the highest-paid non-QBs in NFL history, the expectations entering the 2025 season were sky-high for Pittsburgh Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt.
So far, he hasn’t come close to meeting those expectations. Watt has yet to record a sack in the first two games of the season and has just two tackles for loss. He also has just three total pressures on 46 pass-rush snaps.
His last sack came in Week 14 of the 2024 season in Philadelphia. So, as part of the highest-paid defense in the NFL, Watt is under the microscope.
For former NFL GM and current 93.7 The Fan analyst Doug Whaley, Watt needs to be more disruptive for the Steelers due to his contract, period.
“To whom much is given, much is expected. To be $41 million, the second-highest non-quarterback, you can be out there alone, and you still need to be disruptive. He may not have the sacks production because they are double-, triple-teaming him, but he’s gotta be disruptive,” Whaley said of Watt, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “And then you add to the fact that opens it up for your other teammates, so Cam Heyward, go out and earn your incentives because if they’re double-teaming and triple-teaming T.J., then you have to be single blocked. And if you’re getting double-teamed, if you’re double-teaming T.J. and Cam, then the rest of the defense needs to step up.
“So be it scheme, whatever, production, it doesn’t matter when you’re the highest-paid defense for the second, maybe third year in a row. I don’t wanna hear excuses. I want production.”
He may be getting double and triple-teamed, but former NFL GM Doug Whaley T.J. Watt needs to still be disruptive on the field… and he hasn't, so far. pic.twitter.com/B1QfJRi2Xe
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) September 17, 2025
Yes, Watt’s contract brings a great deal of expectations with it. It should, considering the amount of money invested in him. But he’s not the problem with the defense, and he is being disruptive, considering that teams are running away from him and double- and triple-teaming him in pass protection.
If he’s occupying that much attention, others around him need to step up. So far, they aren’t.
Then, on rookie Jack Sawyer's first career sack, look at how worried about Watt Seattle is on play-action.
Leaves Sawyer unblocked. And Watt still nearly gets there. People have to stop box score watching. pic.twitter.com/QtFmV8P38m
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) September 14, 2025
Watt did play a key role in rookie Jack Sawyer’s first NFL sack, drawing three people on him and giving Sawyer a free lane to quarterback Sam Darnold in Week 2. But as far as the run defense goes, he can’t make all the plays if teams are running away from him.
Just look at the charts from Next Gen Stats.
What is Watt supposed to do? Chase everything from the backside, forget his defensive responsibilities and just sell out to ry and be Superman every snap? That’s not possible.
Failing to stop the run as a defense has put the Steelers in tough positions, too. They can’t pin their ears back and get after a sitting duck QB in a one-dimensional offense. When they can’t do that, it becomes harder and harder to rush the passer.
The Steelers also need to move Watt around a bit more. He’s lining up on the right side of the offense more than 90% of the time through two weeks. It doesn’t need to be a 50/50 split as far as alignment, but he needs to be moving around a bit more to try and generate some chaos for blocking schemes and get him into 1-on-1 matchups more, ones that he still has success in.
Right now though, Watt is the easy target for some of the defensive issues. That seems unfair though. Guys have to step up around him, especially with how worried offenses are about him.
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