Latest news with #2021DefensivePlayeroftheYear
USA Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers' T.J. Watt hype video goes viral after official signing of four-year extension
T.J. Watt officially signed his new four-year contract with Pittsburgh — and the Steelers couldn't wait to post a hype video in celebration. Less than 15 minutes after the signing was announced, the Steelers dropped an entertaining Watt hype video on social media — nearly enough to make any Pittsburgh fan want to run through a wall. Like it or love it — Watt is a Steeler for life. Here's to hoping Watt's four-year deal motivates him the same way it did four years ago — when his new contract extension pushed him to tie Michael Strahan's 22.5-sack record, being named 2021 Defensive Player of the Year in the process. Watt likely has bigger goals this season, however, with postseason aspirations at an all-time high in the Steel City — and a stacked Steelers roster determined to end the team's seven-year playoff win drought. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
The Herald Scotland
19-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
TJ Watt contract: Winners, losers after Steelers star gets extension
So we thought about it and now present you with the winners and losers from Watt's big bag of loot: WINNERS T.J. Watt But of course. His three-year, $123 million extension makes him the top-paid non-quarterback in league history, in terms of average annual value, for the second time in his career. It also means Watt, 30, will almost certainly finish out his football days with the Steelers, who drafted the eventual four-time All-Pro and 2021 Defensive Player of the Year 30th overall in 2017. Pittsburgh's all-time leader with 108 career sacks, Watt is currently sixth among active players but could vault all the way up to second with one of his typically dominant seasons in 2025. He's certainly got 123 million reasons worth of incentives to do so. Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan The conclusion of negotiations with Watt would seem to mark the end of a wildly successful offseason, one when the Steelers' longtime head coach and recently extended general manager, respectively, practiced patience while fans and some league observers practiced panic. But now Watt has returned to the fold, which he always seemed destined to do, and will soon meet new teammates like QB Aaron Rodgers, who also took his sweet time signing on, WR DK Metcalf, DB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith along with the incoming rookie class. Expectations are justifiably growing for a team that hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. Jalen Ramsey The perennial Pro Bowler was acquired (along with Smith) at the end of June in a summertime blockbuster that reshapes the back end of Pittsburgh's defense with S Minkah Fitzpatrick headed back to the Miami Dolphins. It's currently unclear as to how Ramsey might divide his time between covering receivers out wide, manning the slot or even putting in some work at safety with Fitzpatrick out of the picture. What is certain is that Ramsey's best years were spent with the Los Angeles Rams, with whom he won a Super Bowl ring four years ago and was consistently at the top of his game playing behind demonic Aaron Donald, who caused so much havoc for opposing quarterbacks. Watt might not quite be Donald, but his presence is almost certain to benefit Ramsey, whether it means less time required in coverage, more opportunities to go ball hawking or even the ability to freelance more once he's comfortable in his new system and surroundings. Micah Parsons With Watt's contract done, it's almost certainly just a matter of time before the Dallas Cowboys' top defender - and one of the NFL's very best - becomes the next top-paid non-quarterback of all time, whether it's for $41.1 million a year, $44 million or whatever. But Parsons' money is coming, and his boss, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, is probably only too happy to generate that headline in due course now that he basically knows where the target is. (Also, Detroit Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson stands to benefit - at some point - from Watt's newly realized riches, though he might be waiting longer given his rookie deal doesn't expire until after the 2026 season.) LOSERS T.J. Watt Bro, why are you signing this paper now? It's supposed to be in the high 80s, humid and wet when you report to training camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, six days from now - where you'll be moving into dorm rooms at Saint Vincent College. And if that's not a darkness retreat ... (Also, if the answer is evading compulsory fines for missing camp, I'd like to introduce you to Michael Strahan. But I digress.) Watt must really be missing his buddies after skipping the Steelers' offseason training program given he could have let this drag out another couple weeks while holding in or even simply remaining at the crib or beach or wherever. In addition, no chance brothers J.J. and Derek are ever picking up another dinner check. They have yet to placate their own holdout pass rusher, All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson waiting for his financial situation to be resolved. Hendrickson, 30, who has 35 sacks over the past two seasons - 4 1/2 more than Watt over the same period - hasn't necessarily been looking to reset the market. But given he's due to make $16 million in the final year of his deal, it's apparent to him and anyone else outside of Cincinnati that he's (over)due for a raise and isn't merely 39% the player Watt is (when you crunch the salary figures anyway). And given how everything is seemingly falling into place in Pittsburgh - and already was basically set in Baltimore - the Bengals would be doing little more than undercutting their playoff hopes yet again by letting business matters impede their football operation. Pay the man. Myles Garrett Feels like it was just five minutes ago that he became the first non-quarterback to break the $40 million per year contractual barrier. Then he was overtaken by Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase and now Watt, who both play for (better) division rivals of Garrett's Cleveland Browns. And, after explicitly stating he was the league's best defensive player last season after the Browns beat the Steelers in Cleveland - a remark clearly directed at Watt - doesn't it have to irk Garrett just a little bit that he's now the second-best paid defender ... and for a team that's probably going to stink? The Steelers' Week 1 opponents will now be catching the full T.J. Watt Experience as they unveil an offense led by new QB1 (and former Steeler) Justin Fields. And just when the NYJ might have started to hope they'd be catching a guy trying to knock off rust and possibly playing on an opening day pitch count given how negotiations can sometimes drag late into the process with Pittsburgh players ... Aaron Rodgers? The Steelers are Watt's team, and he's been the face of this franchise for a minute ... though maybe you could argue it's actually Tomlin. Regardless, Rodgers will definitely be the story as long as he's amongst the yinzers, and the spotlight is about to be completely re-trained onto the four-time league MVP. No more time spent fretting about Watt's bank account or whereabouts or questions posed to Rodgers about what No. 90 means to the team and how important it is to reward him. Nope, nope, nope. This is now all about No. 8 and what he can do to end Pittsburgh's playoff failures and stabilize a position - temporarily anyway - that has effectively undermined this team since even before Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022. Have fun with that, Mr. Rodgers! All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
UPI
17-07-2025
- Sport
- UPI
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers agree to record $123M extension
1 of 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt totaled 108 sacks through the first 121 appearances of his NFL career. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo July 17 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to a three-year, $123 million contract extension with All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt. Sources told NFL Network, ESPN and The Athletic that the pact includes $108 million fully guaranteed at signing. Watt's average annual salary of $41 million -- from 2026 through 2028 -- will be the highest in NFL history for a non-quarterback. Watt, 30, signed a four-year, $112 million extension with the Steelers in 2021. That deal, which was restructured, was entering its final year. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection, four-time All-Pro and 2021 Defensive Player of the Year appeared in all 17 games for the Steelers over each of the last two seasons. Watt logged 61 combined tackles, 27 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, a league-high six forced fumbles, four passes defensed and two fumble recoveries last season. The eight-year veteran, who joined the Steelers as the No. 30 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, led the NFL in sacks in 2023, 2022 and 2021. His 22.5 sacks in 2021 tied Michael Strahan's NFL record for the most in a single season. Watt reached his total in 15 games, compared to Strahan's 16 appearances in 2001 for the New York Giants. Watt's 108 sacks through his first 121 appearances in the NFL are the sixth-most among active players and rank No. 31 on the league's all-time list since the statistic became official in 1982. Steelers players will report for training camp Wednesday at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
T.J. Watt contract: Comparing Steelers' star career earnings with J.J. Watt
Sibling rivalries are typically reserved for the little things like winning a game or trying to outdo the other in any way possible. T.J. Watt and J.J. Watt are an example of brothers that took the rivalry to the next level. While the brothers are supportive of each other's success, there is a clear difference in what the NFL has done for their bank account balance. J.J., the older one of the two, didn't have the luxury of playing in the current NFL landscape where salaries have exploded. Despite being one of the game's best defensive players at the time, it's T.J., who is six years younger, that has been able to cash in – now by inking a three-year, $123 million extension with $108 million guaranteed. It marks the second major contract extension for the Pittsburgh Steelers star and makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Here's a look the career earnings comparison between two of the best pass-rushers in recent memory, who also happen to be brothers. T.J. Watt career earnings The younger Watt brother has made $110.9 million throughout his career to this point, according to Spotrac. That figure is for Watt's first eight seasons in the league, all of them with the Steelers. The four-time All-Pro and 2021 Defensive Player of the Year previously inked a four-year, $112 million deal in Pittsburgh, which was set to expire after the 2025 season. That would bring his career earnings to more than $131.9 million, with the new three-year, $123 million deal set to kick in after that. In what will likely be Watt's last big contract in his NFL career, the Steelers' star would finish this latest extension following his age-34 season. If he plays through the deal, as constructed, he would bring his total earnings up to $254.9 million. NFL HIGHEST PAID DEFENDERS: Where T.J. Watt ranks after Steelers extension J.J. Watt career earnings The elder Watt certainly made a fine living for himself on the gridiron as well. Unfortunately for this Watt, he played primarily during a time when the NFL salary cap hadn't yet exploded for defensive players like him. The former Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals standout still finished his 12-year career with over $129.7 million in career earnings, per Spotrac – a number his brother will easily surpass in the coming season in three less seasons. Injuries played a big role in Watt's career, however, limiting him to just two full seasons in his last seven. Regardless, Watt was a five-time All-Pro, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and, more importantly, a one-man wrecking crew on the field with 114.5 sacks in his 12 seasons. Despite retiring from the game in 2022, Watt settled into a role with "The NFL Today" on CBS as a game analyst. He's also been known for helping raise money to support Hurricane Harvey victims in Houston and other forms of philanthropy. Needless to say, the Watt family has certainly cashed in with the NFL. All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
UPI
10-06-2025
- Sport
- UPI
Trey Hendrickson, Jonnu Smith, T.J. Watt among early NFL holdouts
MIAMI, June 10 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Bengals' Trey Hendrickson, Miami Dolphins' Jonnu Smith and Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt were among the star players absent from mandatory minicamp Tuesday, marking early holdouts on the NFL calendar. The majority of NFL teams started their minicamps Tuesday. Players who do not report to the sessions are subject to fines. Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, continues to be a major off-season storyline. The Bengals edge rusher, who was given permission to seek a trade earlier this off-season, also did not participate in voluntary workouts amid a contract dispute. Hendrickson initially signed a four-year, $60 million deal with the Bengals in 2021. He signed a one-year extension for that deal in 2023. He is set to make $15.8 million in base salary in 2025. "Obviously it's a possibility," Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow told reporters, when asked about if he thought about Hendrickson leaving the Bengals roster. "It's not one that I think would make us a better team. We'll see what ends up happening. I don't know what's going to happen." Bengals rookie pass rusher Shemar Stewart, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft who has yet to sign his first contract, attended minicamp, but did not participate in activities. Joe Burrow speaks to the media Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) June 10, 2025 Smith, who totaled career-highs in catches (88), yards (884) and touchdowns (eight) last season, also has been circulating in trade rumors amid a contract dispute with the Dolphins. He signed a two-year, $8.4 million contract with the AFC East franchise last off-season. "You will not see Jonnu on the field today, or this week," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "That's something we've been in communication with." Watt, a four-time first-team All-Pro and 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, signed a four-year, $112 million deal in 2021. He also is seeking a contract extension. Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin and Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey were among the other notable players absent Tuesday from minicamp. McLaurin, who signed a three-year, $68.3 million extension in 2022, is seeking a new contract. The Dolphins, who are attempting to trade Ramsey, granted the cornerback an excused absence. Most NFL mandatory minicamps will continue this week, while some teams will start their minicamps next week.
