T.J. Watt embraces new role with Pittsburgh Steelers by rushing from both sides
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt is making a thoughtful adjustment to his strategy heading into the 2025
NFL
season. Traditionally dominant rushing from the left edge, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is now trying to become ambidextrous, mastering both edges of the field to maximize his effect and keep opposing offenses off balance.
T.J. Watt's evolution: From single-sided dominance to multi-angled threat
Since joining the league in 2017, T.J. Watt has been a regular presence on the left side of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, playing almost 4,900 snaps there and just 653 on the right. That positioning served him well to amass some of the most dominant seasons in recent history—including tying Michael Strahan's single-season sack record in 2021 with 22.5—but it also made his whereabouts more predictable for opposing offensive coordinators.
Now, going into his ninth year and turning 31 in October, T.J. Watt is embracing flexibility. During Latrobe's training camp, he has spent entire days practicing rushing from one side before flipping over to the other side in subsequent sessions. The objective was to become comfortable enough to switch back and forth during a game without compromising technique.
Steelers training camp: T.J. Watt talks moving around defense, growth of Jack Sawyer & Nick Herbig
"I prefer the left, but at this point in my career, I want to be an impact player," T.J.
Watt said in January. "I don't want to be schemed out of games. I want to be able to deliver the football in good field positions or take the football away. It wasn't a good enough year for me."
Advantages to moving T.J. Watt's position
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin sees the benefit of moving Watt around but says the shift will be calculated. "Sometimes things happen that way, just how the season unfolds. At some point maybe Alex [Highsmith] was out, so [Watt] wanted to stick to his favorite side and all that stuff.
We like it when he moves around because it's harder for the teams to just say, 'Hey, TJ's going to be over here. Let's block it and set the protection.
' We'll move him around a little bit, but we're not going to move him around to our detriment. We know he's had some great seasons coming on that our defensive left, offensive right sides, and he could still do that. We're trying to open up, open it up for him and others so we can get more sacks," he said.
The Steelers think Watt's athleticism will also spread to the other members of the pass rush. Counter-edge rusher Alex Highsmith was helped by Watt's right-side snaps last season, and rookie Jack Sawyer said working both sides keeps all the rushers off-balance and on their toes.
Watt, who just signed a contract extension worth $108 million guaranteed, is unequivocal about his motivation: to remain effective deep into his playing career.
Paced alongside Highsmith, Nick Herbig, or alternating rookies, his enlarged toolkit might bring a fresh dimension to Pittsburgh's defensive units.
Also read:
T.J. Watt trade buzz grows after $121 million deal projection shocks Steelers fans
If Watt can marry his signature power with multi-directional unpredictability, the Steelers' defense might just be all the more lethal. For a player already atop the NFL's defensive mountain, this next step might just hold him there.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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