Ben Roethlisberger Offers T.J. Watt Update
Ben Roethlisberger Offers T.J. Watt Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As a franchise steeped in continuity, there's an uneasy feeling whenever a Pittsburgh Steelers stalwart puts that status in doubt.
Advertisement
Ahead of the 2024 season, it was defensive tackle Cameron Heyward's turn to test the waters. Coming off an injury-plagued season, Heyward was in search of a new deal that ensured he'd be paid handsomely to spend the twilight of his career in Western Pennsylvania. At first, the Steelers didn't budge.
Ultimately, a deal got done, and Heyward put forth an incredible bounce-back season, logging eight sacks on the way to All-Pro honors.
A year later, edge rusher T.J. Watt is due for an extension. Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett's recent four-year, $160 million deal has raised the stakes, and Watt is holding out in hopes of approaching (if not surpassing) that number.
Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger gave an update on Watt's contract negotiations now that he held himself out of minicamp.
Advertisement
"It's interesting because this is now a mandatory minicamp," Roethlisberger said. "So he can be fined. It'll be interesting to see if the Steelers decide to fine him or not because they don't have to ... Last time this happened was four years ago when T.J. was looking for a new contract. The difference is, he's holding out, which means he is not there. Last time, he held in, which means, 'I'm going to come, I'll be here, but I'm not participating.'"
Like Heyward, Watt is coming to the table after an underwhelming year with some level of concerns attached to his age. Heyward, well into his 30s with two sacks in 2023, managed to come to an agreement. Watt still posted 11.5 sacks in 2024 and is only entering his age-31 season.
Watt would like to be the highest-paid defensive player in football. Pittsburgh, presumably on the hook for ~$20 million more than it anticipated entering the offseason, is understandably taking its time.
"This year, he's not there," Roethlisberger said. "You asked the question of what's the difference? I don't know, only T.J. knows the difference. My only speculation and guess is like, they must not be close. If you were close, I would think that T.J. would do what he did last time."
Advertisement
For now, the two seem far apart. But the Steelers are incentivized to keep Watt around, and his run defense should keep him among the best edge rushers in the sport, even if his pass-rushing decline proves to be more than a blip on the radar. Until then, the Pittsburgh faithful will continue to hold their breath, hoping that gap is addressed before his absence becomes meaningful.
Related: AFC North Rival Sets Bar for Watt Extension
Related: Steelers Legend Chimes in on T.J. Watt's Absence
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cardinals vs. White Sox Highlights
Does the Andrew Vaughn-Aaron Civale trade make sense? | Baseball Bar-B-Cast Yahoo Sports senior MLB analyst Jake Mintz and national MLB insider Russell Dorsey react to the Andrew Vaughn-Aaron Civale trade between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox and talk about how each player will fit into their new teams. Hear the full conversation on the 'Baseball Bar-B-Cast' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. 2:20 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
WNBA Player Booed Relentlessly After Punishment for Sending Caitlin Clark to Ground
WNBA Player Booed Relentlessly After Punishment for Sending Caitlin Clark to Ground originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Things got heated during the Indiana Fever's matchup against the Connecticut Sun as Caitlin Clark took the brunt of several players' physicality on Tuesday. A third quarter altercation between the two teams led to three technical fouls and a flagrant foul. Advertisement One Sun player was not a particular favorite in Indiana for the rest of the evening as Fever fans voiced their displeasure for shoving Clark. The environment escalated after Clark was poked in the eye by Jacy Sheldon, the second heated incident between the two players during the game. Clark reacted by pushing Sheldon which prompted Sun veteran Marina Mabrey to use her shoulder to send the Fever star to the ground. Sun guard Marina Mabrey (4) stares at Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the third quarter during game one of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Smith-Imagn Images As a result of the incident, Mabrey was booed by the Fever crowd every time she touched the ball for the remainder of the game. Mabrey received a technical foul but was not ejected. Advertisement Fans also took to social media to express their displeasure for Mabrey not being ejected. "Marina Mabrey clearly shoving caitlin clark to the ground after a DEAD BALL and not getting ejected from the game is absolutely unbelievable," one fan reacted. "That was so clearly not a basketball play at all. Seriously do better refs." "Fever fans ain't gonna love her no more," another added. "That is BS," said one fan. "The WNBA continues to fail to meet the moment," author Christine Brennan noted. "Terrible decision to allow Marina Mabrey to stay in the game. People are watching as never before. And this is what they see?" Advertisement With less than a minute remaining in the game, another fight broke out following a hard foul by Sophie Cunningham on Sheldon. Related: Caitlin Clark Claps Back After Getting Aggressively Poked in the Face This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark Talks Trash After Multiple Heated Altercations
Caitlin Clark Talks Trash After Multiple Heated Altercations originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Caitlin Clark was fired up on Tuesday during the fourth quarter of the Indiana Fever's game against the Connecticut Sun. With less than four minutes left, Clark hit a step-back 3-pointer over her longtime rival, Jacy Sheldon. Following that, she had some words for the Sun's bench. The sequence led to a timeout from Connecticut, and the Fever star was pumped up. Advertisement In the second quarter of the game, things got chippy between Clark and Sheldon. There was some shoving from the two players, and veteran guard Marina Mabrey also got involved. In the third quarter, there was another altercation involving the star guard. Sheldon accidentally hit the former Iowa star in the face. The point guards for both teams got into a shoving match, but Mabrey's push caused Clark to fall to the ground. The two teams had to be separated, and the officials gave a technical foul to Clark, Mabrey and Tina Charles. Sheldon, on the other hand, was given a flagrant 1 foul. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shoots the ball while Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon defends. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images In the fourth quarter, Clark took the chance to increase the Fever's lead to 20 points. The fan favorite shot a step-back 3-pointer over her rival and started talking trash to Connecticut's bench. On the other end, the opposing team called a timeout and Indiana's superstar energized the crowd. In a very heated contest between the two teams, Clark and the Fever had the last laugh. They secured an 88-71 win over the Sun behind the 20 points, six assists, one rebound and two steals from their best player. Advertisement With the win, the Fever avenged their loss against Connecticut. Earlier in the 2025 WNBA season, the Sun had their first win of the season against Clark's team with an 85-83 victory. Due to the way things transpired between the two franchises, their next matchup is set to be heated. Fans will see both teams in action against each other on July 15. Related: WNBA Officials Under Fire Over Caitlin Clark Decision After Heated On-Court Altercation This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
