Steelers Now
UNITY TWP, Pa. — T.J. Watt doesn’t know what Father Time has in store, but he is in tune with how his skillset suits him right now.
The four-time first-team Associated Press All-Pro was asked Tuesday if he’ll start to lean more on his power than finessing his way past the offensive linemen in front of him.
Shortly before inking the new deal with the Steelers last month, Watt posted a picture with fellow Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig. Watt looked as if he’d gained muscle, leading some to wonder whether he might morph into a power rusher.
“I like to think the explosiveness is always gonna be there,” Watt said after a walkthrough at St. Vincent College. “Obviously, realistically, I don’t know if that’s gonna be the case. It still is right now, but it’s just constantly finding new ways to win, evolving with the game. Like Coach (Tomlin) says, ‘Adapt or die.’
“But at the end of the day, if you have a fastball that works, you throw the fastball.”
Watt totaled 11.5 sacks and a league-high six forced fumbles last season. He spent time away from the team waiting for a contract extension this offseason, but was paid handsomely with the hope that his game wouldn’t see a drop-off.
Watt looks to replicate a longtime teammate’s success, even as he gets older.
“Cam Heyward is doing it going into his 40s, it seems like,” Watt said near the start of training camp. “In all honesty, I do have a great teammate in Cam to look to to (see) how you sustain your career. That’s something that’s important to me. That’s something that I wanna give to the city of Pittsburgh, I wanna give to this organization, is longevity.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers’ T.J. Watt Sticking With ‘Fastball’ Approach Entering Season
