T.J. Watt has long been one of the most dominant pass rushers in the NFL. He’s been the Pittsburgh Steelers’ best player, which is why he got a healthy extension this offseason. That’s in spite of Watt having a quieter end to 2024. He was still great, but he only posted 11.5 sacks, his lowest total in a healthy season since he was a rookie. Despite that, former NFL offensive lineman Kyle Long is predicting Watt to be elite in 2025.
“Because similar to a guy like Joe Thuney, even if T.J. Watt loses a step and he’s not as quick, or as strong, or as fast as he once was, the guy’s situational awareness is unmatched,” Long said recently on his Pushing the Pile podcast. “Even if you can get your hands on T.J. Watt, and try to sit him down, just like his brother J.J., he is as good at clogging up throwing lengths, going for the football. Instead of just going for the sack, this guy’s trying to get the football back.
“He is the wave that continues to hit the beach. Give me T.J. as another All-Pro.”
Watt has been an All-Pro in five of his last six seasons. In 2022, missed out on the honor, but that was mostly because he was hurt. However, Watt was only a second-team All-Pro in 2024. Every other time he’s been an All-Pro, he’s been on the first team.
Watt turns 31 in October. Couple that with his quiet end to last year, and there are some who expect Watt to take a step back this season. However, Long has faith that Watt will continue to be one of the best pass rushers in the league.
Considering the contract extension that Watt received this offseason, the Steelers believe that, too. They made him the highest paid non-quarterback in the league. Not everyone loved that deal, but Watt earned it. He’s been a Hall of Fame-level player, and he should still have some quality years left in him.
Watt followed up his last contract extension with his best NFL season. He tied the single-season sack record and won Defensive Player of the Year. This year, he sounds more motivated than ever. With more people doubting him, Watt could be in for another excellent season.
The Steelers want to be Super Bowl contenders, and for that to happen, they’ll likely need an All-Pro year out of Watt. They made a lot of additions to their defense, which should provide Watt with more opportunities to make plays. Additionally, he’s more open to moving around, which could add a new wrinkle to his game. Long is betting on Watt to bounce back in a big way this year, and we’ll see if he’s right.
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