Behind the Steel Curtain
The NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2025 list has been slowly released over the summer, with Nos. 20-11 being announced this week.
Outside linebacker T.J. Watt was the latest Steeler to be ranked on the list, coming in at No. 11.
The 30-year-old logged 61 total tackles, 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 19 tackles for loss in 2024. He was named to his seventh career Pro Bowl and made the AP All-Pro second team. He also recorded his 100th career sack that season, now with 108 over his eight years in Pittsburgh.
Watt signed a three-year, $123 million extension in July with the Steelers. He was the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history (in average per year) up until Micah Parsons’ record-setting four-year, $188 million deal with the Packers on Thursday.
Watt joins Cam Heyward (No. 83), Patrick Queen (No. 75) and Jalen Ramsey (No. 66) as the current Steelers on the list. Watt ranked No. 8 on the list last year, falling just three spots after his sack production dropped from 19 in 2023 to 11.5 in 2024.
Watt still ranks above defenders such as Chris Jones (No. 12), Trey Hendrickson (No. 14), Fred Warner (No. 16), and Dexter Lawrence (No. 17) on the list. However, it appears he’ll rank below Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, who has yet to be announced with the top 10 spots still to go.
The list is voted on by NFL players. The top 10 will be released on Sept. 1 on X, formerly known as Twitter, and NFL Network at 8 p.m. EST.
You can view the list, currently Nos. 100-11, on NFL.com here.
