Steelers star T.J. Watt ties the knot in destination wedding

T.J. Watt now has a day even more special than winning Defensive Player of the Year. The Steelers star recently had the wedding of his dreams. 

It’s hard to top a memory as special as earning the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award, but this one takes the cake. After being engaged for a year, T.J. Watt tied the knot with Dani Rhodes during the wedding of their dreams in Cabo San Lucus, Mexico.

Joining Watt for the most special day of his life were his closest family members — including his brothers and NFL colleagues, J.J. and Derek Watt. T.J. was also supported by some current and former Pittsburgh Steelers, including Cameron Heyward, Joe Haden, and Ryan Shazier.

Watt went to college at the University of Wisconsin with Rhodes, who is a professional soccer player previously for the Chicago Red Stars. The rest is history. Watt posted some pictures with his new bride on Twitter with the caption, “Best day of my life.”

Here are some of the images of the event that were shared by members of the Watt family on social media:

It’s pretty safe to say that no personal accolades on the football field are going to be able to top this moment for T.J. Watt, but what’s next for one of the NFL’s premier defenders?

The future is bright for the Steelers star defender

Watt was able to check perhaps the most important moment of his life off the bucket list. This comes just weeks before his sixth NFL training camp. So what’s next for the Steelers star?

In 2021, Watt was the most productive pass rusher in the NFL — earning 22.5 sacks, 21 tackles for a loss, and 39 hits, via Pro Football Reference. He did all of this despite missing two full games and leaving early in multiple contests due to injuries.

Now at full health, the sky is the limit for what the generational superstar could achieve on the football field this season. At 27 years old and in the prime of his professional playing career, Watt will have a chance to do one better than he did a season ago.

While it’s hard to top DPOY accolades, Watt admitted this offseason that he has plenty of room for improvement. The ultimate goal, he claims, is to win a Super Bowl. Though this doesn’t seem probable in 2022, Watt could continue to build on one of the most impressive five-year resumes in the NFL.

Watt is clearly on a first-ballot Hall of Fame track at this point. If he can break his own sack record or even earn his fourth consecutive first-team All-Pro, he will be well on his way to Canton someday. Eventually earning a gold jacket won’t top his wedding day, but it will no doubt be high on his list.