T.J. Watt calls this unacceptable during his time in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Steelers collapsed at the end of last season, and this year they have a revamped roster looking to make a deep run through the playoffs.
T.J. Watt got his new contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and now it’s time to get back to business. He has become one of the best pass rushers in the league over the last eight years, but team success has eluded Watt and the Steelers.
The Watt wait is over
After a tense standoff over the offseason, T.J. Watt finally got the contract extension he was hoping for. The Steelers made him the highest paid non QB in the history of the NFL with a three year, $123 million deal that will keep him in Pittsburgh for the long haul.
ESPN sources: Steelers star TJ Watt has become the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history for the second time in his illustrious career, reaching agreement today on a three-year, $123 million extension that includes $108M fully guaranteed at signing. The $41 million per year average… pic.twitter.com/si6V7FUdlp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 17, 2025
Now that the dust has settled it’s time to start focusing on the season, and Watt is desperate to bring glory days back to the Steele City. “Winning a Super Bowl is no doubt motivating me and winning a playoff game is absolutely motivating me,” Watt said on an episode of “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” that has yet to be released in its entirety.
It’s no secret that the Steelers postseason woes have plagued them over the last decade. Their last playoff win came in January of 2017 when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round before losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Watt was drafted in the spring of 2017 and since then, the Steelers have been to the postseason five times, but have lost each and every one of those games.
No playoff wins is unacceptable
Watt says it’s about time that comes to an end. “It’s something that we haven’t been able to do since I’ve been there. I think that’s absolutely unacceptable, and that is what’s attached to my name right now. I have to answer for that. As much as it sucks, when you say T.J. Watt, X, Y, Z, you also say, T.J. Watt, not won a playoff game,” said the seven time Pro Bowler.
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Watt has done just about everything he can as the heart and soul of the defense. Aside from leading a defense that has carried the Steelers over the last half decade, the younger of the Watt brothers was been selected to the All Pro First Team four different times and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. That same year he broke the NFL record with 22.5 sacks in a single season, a record that still stands today.
With a new deal and a new team around him, he is focused on team accolades rather than individual awards. He’s got Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay in the secondary and Aaron Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf on the other side of the ball. The offense is going to have a different look to it, and Watt will be hoping that they can ease some of the burden off the defense in this “all-in” season.
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