Steelers Now
Despite speculation that T.J. Watt could be on the trade block, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II said the team has no intentions of trading the six-time All-Pro outside linebacker.
“I’d have to put it in the ‘unlikely’ category. He’s certainly been one of the real, solid pieces we have on that defense. I think he’s the kind of guy we want to have in the locker room going forward,” Rooney told Bob Pompeani of KDKA-TV.
Rooney hopes the Steelers can extend Watt this offseason. He has one year left on his deal.
“T.J. has been one of the foundations of the defense for quite a number of years now and certainly hope we can have T.J. here for the future beyond this year,” Rooney said.
J.J. Watt said on the Pat McAfee Show recently that he fully expects his brother to get extended this offseason. He’s not going to go into 2025 on a lame duck contract.
Watt has yet to win a playoff game in his eight-year NFL career, but he reaffirmed his commitment to the team on the Monday after the Wild Card loss to Baltimore.
The 30-year-old will be entering the final year of his deal next season, but he’s not planning to jump ship anytime soon.
“I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Watt said. “You guys know that. I don’t want to leave this place. I want to be part of the solution. I’ve put so much into it here.”
Watt had a productive season in 2024, but he was really quiet down the stretch. Watt suffered a left low ankle sprain late in the team’s Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He was active for the last three games and the Wild Card game, but he did not recorded a single sack and was not productive in each game.
It appears that the combination of Watt’s ankle and thumb injury significantly hindered his ability to rush the passer. The Steelers also did a poor job of scheming Watt for better matchups. Watt was chipped on the highest percentage of snaps of any player in the league this season. He did so while rushing 546 times as the Steelers’ left outside linebacker or defensive end and just eight times anywhere else.
Watt, a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, was essentially invisible in the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens. In terms of box score statistics, he recorded none. Pro Football Focus credited him with four hurries — and also with two missed tackles.
Watt also recorded no defensive statistics against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18. He did not have a sack or a quarterback hit in four straight games to close the 2024 season. The Steelers lost all of those games and they lost in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive game, with Watt going 0 for 4 in his career in the postseason.
“It’s tough to sit here, same time as last year, same time as it’s been in...
