T.J. Watt has been nothing but excellent throughout his long career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, earning multiple Pro Bowls and All-Pro nods as well as a Defensive Player of the Year award back in 2021. He has been the heart and soul of a defense that has been one of the NFL's best since he was drafted in 2017.
Because of his immense value to the organization, the Steelers rewarded Watt with a three-year, $123 million contract extension this summer, despite his slow finish to the 2024 season. The move made total sense for a team with high expectations, thanks to wild offseason of big trades and high-profile signings. New faces like DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, and Aaron Rodgers made 2025 a clear all-in season.
Through two games, however, things have not gone as expected for Pittsburgh or its all-time sack leader. After a narrow win in Week 1 and a crushing loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, Watt has yet to collect a sack or any big play of note. If this version of Watt is who the Steelers are getting moving forward, they will no doubt regret giving Watt his massive new deal.
T.J. Watt may no longer be the player he once was for the Pittsburgh Steelers
For years, it seemed like when, not if, Watt would make a game-changing play on the way to a Steelers victory. Whether it's a strip sack, a wild interception, or a drive-ending tackle for loss, Watt seemed to always show up when the time called.
So far this season, that version of him is nowhere to be found. He has just three pressures on 47 pass rushing snaps according to Pro Football Focus, and he has rarely even been around the quarterback in either of Pittsburgh's games. He also hasn't had a sack for six consecutive games, something that seems impossible for a player with over 100 career sacks.
There is no denying that Watt looks slower than usual on the field, especially as a pass rusher. He remains a huge contributor to the run defense thanks to his instincts and strength, but he doesn't look as dynamic athletically as he did a few years ago.
The All-Pro defender showed many of the same signs of regression last season after a hot start to the year, but fans were hoping it was just a blip in an otherwise great campaign.
Based on how he has looked up to this point, it unfortunately may be the new normal for Watt. Make no mistake: there will be weeks where he dominates against young or mediocre tackles. But it looks increasingly likely that we have seen the best of the future Hall-of-Fame inductee.