Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH == Playing on different sides might not seem like a big deal, but it actually does make a difference for some NFL players. Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt revealed on Ben Roethlisberger’s Footbahlin podcast in 2023 that he despises playing on the right side, which he did only in his rookie season to impress the coaches.
“When I came here it was like, ‘I’ll play right side coach,’ I hate playing right side,” Watt said. “But if it’s for the team, let’s do it and that’s why after my first year I was like, ‘Can I please go to left?’”
Watt, 30, did have a bit of a down year in 2024, registering the third least sacks in a season (11.5) in his career. The other two seasons were his rookie year (seven sacks) and 2022 (5.5 sacks) when he played in just 10 games due to a knee injury. Coupled with injuries last season, Watt was slowed down due to teams scheming against him since he doesn’t switch sides. That could change this year.
“Yeah, I think [switching spots] is something we definitely got to include in the game, because, just like you said, teams were kind of catching on to what we were doing,” Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith said at OTAs on Thursday. “If we’re able to move around to different spots and stuff like that, we’ll be able to get teams off balance — and they can’t just sit there and max protect.”
Watt was not at the first three days of Steelers OTAs, presumably because of his contract situation. J.J. Watt even hinted on the Pat McAfee Show that his brother is not happy with how negotiations have gone.
“I have a lot of information on that subject,” J.J. Watt said when asked about T.J. Watt’s contract. “That’s not my subject to discuss.”
Watt also alluded again to the fact that T.J. Watt wanted to sign an extension last year. And the Steelers didn’t want to do it.
“Ownership and front offices obviously treat this like a business but they don’t like it when the players flip the script on them and treat it like a business,” J.J. Watt said.
Highsmith is not worried about Watt holding out or a potential trade, however. He expects a deal will get done between the two sides.
“I’ve been catching up with him all offseason. He really wants to be here. I’m very confident they’re going to get a deal done,” Highsmith said.
Alan Saunders and Brendan Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Alex Highsmith Hints at Big Change on Steelers Defense in 2025
