While many are plotting the demise of T.J. Watt, he can still be impactful for the Steelers without the gaudy stats, one beat writer believes. Ray Fittipaldo discussed the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year in a chat session, given recent events. With Nick Herbig signing a $100 million extension, it’s reasonable to wonder about his future.
Watt only recorded 7 sacks last season, though he also missed three games due to a lung injury. For most starting edge rushers, that’s hardly a bad number. But for someone who averages nearly 13 per season, that’s a significant dip. He has still made the Pro Bowl eight consecutive times, but in his age-32 season, is Watt still an elite player?
“I think he’s poised to have a bounce-back season”, Fittipaldo said. “I think he can be a 12-15 sack guy again. But he’s also playing in a new defense that will ask more of him. He might have to drop more. He might have to align in different spots on the defense.
“Maybe his production won’t be what the fans have to come to expect, but it very well might help the defense improve. And I think we can all agree the defense has plenty of room for improvement after watching them perform last season. Other than creating turnovers and some timely stops in the red zone this defense was below the line in almost every other area”.
Of course, T.J. Watt has never been just a pure pass rusher as he has also contributed to the run defense and in coverage. He has 136 tackles for loss and 9 interceptions with 57 passes defensed. It’s likely that he’ll soon join a very small fraternity of players with double-digit interceptions and triple-digit sacks.
But that speaks to longevity and doesn’t predict future success. What matters is how T.J. Watt will play for the Steelers in 2026, or perhaps within the Steelers’ scheme. Now, nobody will complain if he has another 20-sack season in him, but can he produce in different ways?
Watt has already talked about getting over his stubbornness about being anchored to the left side of the defense. Even though he played on the right side as a rookie, he grew into his position. He feels comfortable rushing there, at his strongest. But new Steelers DC Patrick Graham wants to have moveable pieces all over the defense. If defenses have to account for where Watt is on every play and also weigh what he’ll do if the Steelers start dropping him into coverage more, it’s just another wrinkle.
And another way for him to impact the game without actually even doing anything.
But it’s undeniable that the Steelers are still paying Watt to produce. Certainly, he should be able to put up double-digit sacks for the salary he commands. But more importantly, he should produce difference-making plays. He talks himself about wanting to be a game wrecker. However he accomplishes that, that’s what the Steelers need out of the 2026 version of T.J. Watt.
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