Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt knows he still has a lot to prove after signing his recording-breaking deal.
The Pittsburgh Steelers made All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL with his three-year, $123 million contract extension. Watt knows that comes with big expectations, which he plans on living up to.
“I want to continue to give everything that I possibly can to this city and this organization,” Watt said. “There is so much more, as Coach T would say, meat on the bone. There’s so much more that I can give that I want to give, and that’s what’s most important to me.”
Fans are certainly hoping that’s the case since Watt is coming off the least-productive full season of his NFL career with 61 tackles, 11.5 sacks and four passes defensed. However, a down year for Watt is still a better than a lot of players’ best years.
The Steelers will need him to continue aging well now that he’s locked in with Pittsburgh through the 2028 season. The team is hoping to finally end its eight-year postseason win drought in 2025.
That is near the forefront of Watt’s mind as training camp kicks off, but for now, he is still trying to come to terms with it all.
“It’s hard to fathom,” Watt said. “I’m just being as blunt as I can about it. It truly is. It’s an insane life that I live. I get to do what I love for a living. I’m living the absolute dream. I don’t take that for granted one bit. The money side of it is hard to really wrap my head around and I’m sure one day I will, but right now it’s still all crazy to me. More than anything, I wanted to play football.”
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: T.J. Watt Vows to Live Up to Being NFL’s Highest-Paid Defensive Player
