Steelers' T.J. Watt sturs the pot after Browns' Myles Garrett offers him the ultimate compliment

For Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowler T.J. Watt, gone are the days of worrying about individual accolades.

At this point of his career, the potential of winning a Lombardi is what gets Watt out of bed in the morning.

But one of the hotter debates in the league is who's the better player between him and Myles Garrett.

Well after Garrett offered a nice compliment, Watt was a little skittish.

Garrett Studies Watt

“T.J. finds a way to win. He’s a dog. He always has those second-effort plays. He can swim inside, outside, he’s strong, he’s fast,” Garrett told reporters when asked about players he studies. “He doesn’t look as strong as he is, but the way he long-arm guys, the way he finds a way to fight through a double or single, it’s really impressive.”

Now if you're wondering how Garrett could say that Watt doesn't look as stong as he actually is, it's because Garrett's game is built off power, something Watt is far from short on, yet he weighs 20 pounds less than Garrett.

And what has always made Watt so special is the part where Garrett said that Watt finds ways to fight through blocks. He is one of if not the most refined pass rushers in the league, yet he has tangible traits that most edge players don't possess.

On the precipice of making NFL history as he heads into the eighth year of his career, Watt receives a ton of questionable criticism from the media and even players, so maybe he wasn't the most receptive to Garrett's words.

"I'll take a compliment I guess," Watt said when speaking to NFL Media's Mike Garafolo. "We watch each other's film all the time and I watch a lot of Myles [Garrett]. I watch a lot of guys that are in the division just because there's so many guys that are able to get to the quarterback and we get to see them play against the opponents that we do as well...

"...So, it's kind of breaking down the tackle that we're going against, but you also are being able to admire and appreciate a guy that's able to get to the quarterback day in and day out."

Watt didn't need to throw in the "I guess" but it's clear that he and Garrett both have the level of respect and admiration that each other deserves.

Stoking the fire and keeping a rivalry alive never hurt anyone though.

Related: Training Camp Buzz: Insider 'Expects' Steelers to make a move in WR market after visiting Pittsburgh