Steelers Now
Not everyone thought the Pittsburgh Steelers’ record-breaking extension for outside linebacker T.J. Watt was a good idea.
The Pittsburgh Steelers gave All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt a record-breaking three-year, $123 million contract extension, locking him up through the 2028 season. Not everyone thought it was a good move, though.
Nick Wright of FS1 thinks the Steelers should have let Watt play out the final year of his deal or trade him.
“The Steelers are gonna continue to have eight, nine wins,” Wright said on First Things First. “Their path out was recognizing, and they weren’t gonna do this once Aaron Rodgers signed, but to trade T.J. Watt, get great capital for it, and eventually get a quarterback. Instead, they do this. I think it’s a mistake. I also think T.J. Watt, I don’t know where he is as far as career arc.”
"The Steelers will continue to have 8, 9 wins. I think it's a mistake."@getnickwright weighs in on T.J. Watts' new 3-year, $123M extension pic.twitter.com/Q0j8kZ2QiQ
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) July 17, 2025
Extending Watt and giving him $108 million of fully guaranteed money is a gamble for Pittsburgh. The soon-to-be 31-year-old is coming off the least-productive full season of his NFL career.
However, the Steelers are clearly focused on making another run to the Super Bowl, especially with their offseason additions of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver DK Metcalf, tight end Jonnu Smith and cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay.
Watt gives Pittsburgh the best chance to do just that, despite having yet to win a postseason game in his NFL career. In 2024, he still proved to be a difference maker while recording 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles.
It’s also unclear if Watt was even willing to play out the final year of his deal. He was scheduled to make just $21.05 million in salary in 2025, none of which is guaranteed, and skipped OTAs and mandatory minicamp last month to make a statement.
Either way, the Steelers don’t need to worry about that now with Watt set up to put the finishing touches on his Hall of Fame resume in Pittsburgh.
The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, four-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler has recorded 462 tackles, 108 sacks, 33 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, seven interceptions and 50 passes defensed in his NFL career.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Analyst Blasts Steelers for T.J. Watt Extension
