Steelers A to Z: As he enters 8th season, T.J. Watt remains leader on defense

Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 14 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

OLB T.J. Watt

Experience/age: Eighth NFL season/turns 30 in October

Contract status: Team-high $30,418,694 cap hit for 2024 season, signed through 2025

The past: Despite leading the NFL in sacks for the third time in the past four seasons, Watt surprisingly was edged for the league’s defensive player of the year award by Cleveland’s Myles Garrett.

The snub could prove fuel to motivate Watt to have another standout season as arguably the NFL’s premier pass rusher at outside linebacker.

Watt’s resume is littered with accolades. He is a four-time All-Pro selection, and he has been named to the Pro Bowl on six consecutive occasions. He also finished second in defensive player of the year voting twice and third another time.

After playing in just 10 games in 2022 because of injury, Watt rebounded and started all 17 games last season, although he did sit out the playoff loss at Buffalo with a knee injury. Watt’s availability enabled him to total 19 sacks, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, including one that he returned for a touchdown.

2024 outlook: Time is starting to catch up to Watt, who will exit his 20s during the season. In recent years, brothers J.J. and Derek have retired, leaving him as the lone family member still playing in the NFL.

Watt said in the offseason that his goal is to remain healthy for a second consecutive season, and he has changed his conditioning to accomplish that goal.

Watt remains the team’s top player, earning the Steelers’ MVP award for the fourth time in 2023. He is only the second player in franchise history to accomplish that feat.

For all that Watt has done in his career, he has yet to win a playoff game. The Steelers are 0-4 in the postseason in the Watt era, and he has said he desperately wants that streak to end in the 2024 season.