T.J. Watt isn’t one to post on social media. Aside from the cryptic photo or celebratory moment, Watt is MIA when it comes to Twitter, IG, and the rest. But that doesn’t mean he’s not watching. Watt might not doom scroll like everyone else but he’s keeping an eye on what top pass rushers around the league are doing.
“A lot of guys are posting on social media how they do their pass-rush moves,” Watt said in an interview with CBS Sports’ Evan Washburn. “So you don’t have to go to a summit or anything to steal those moves. That’s what we’re alluding to with a couple moves we’ve been trying out here in training camp. Me, Herb, and Sawyer, and Alex. They’re difficult to do but at least now you have a step-by-step tutorial of how to try them.”
NFL offensive linemen and tight ends have annual summits. Pass rushers may work more individually with trainers and gurus, some of which have been hired by NFL teams. Chuck Smith took a job with the Baltimore Ravens after spending years training the top EDGE players, including several Steelers. But Watt wouldn’t need to go to one anyway, being able to watch and learn from the comfort of his home and try the moves on his own time in private. And Watt’s not about to start sharing his own to anyone who isn’t a teammate.
Whether it’s in the gym or around the house, Watt is always focused on adding to his bag.
“It consumes my life. It really does,” he said, joking he’s gotten better at not trying moves walking around a corner at his house.
Watt’s go-to move is his dip and rip. This offseason, we ranked it the No. 2 rush move of any current Steeler, only trailing Cam Heyward’s long-arm/bull rush.
For veterans like Watt, “winning” training camp isn’t the goal. Staying healthy is priority followed by testing things out. Seeing what works, what feels right, like a comedian trying out new material in the comfort of a small club before taking it to their Netflix special.
It’s why there shouldn’t be any concern over Watt having a “quieter” camp and not winning every single rep. The best thing he can do is refine his game and give a young right tackle like Troy Fautanu good looks and challenges each day.
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