PITTSBURGH — As the countdown to training camp begins, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made a significant move by locking down star edge rusher T.J. Watt on a monumental three-year extension worth $123 million, solidifying his position as the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. This deal, boasting an average of $41 million in new money, edges out the contract of AFC North rival Myles Garrett, who signed for $40 million annually with the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason. Impressively, Watt’s contract also includes $108 million guaranteed right at signing.
Watt entered this final year of his previous four-year, $112 million deal signed back in 2021, and has been a perennial contender for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. This summer, he opted to skip voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp, invoking some uncertainty around his contract situation that could have posed a distraction leading into camp. In fact, the last time he and the Steelers navigated negotiations, Watt utilized a strategy known as “holding in,” which left fans and analysts alike on edge until the last moment before the season opener. Thankfully for the team, General Manager Omar Khan ensured this deal was squared away before the curtain rises on camp.
Watt’s previous extension proved to be a stroke of genius for the Steelers. Just in 2021, he led the league with 22.5 sacks, tying the legendary Michael Strahan for the official single-season record. Along with that, he forced five fumbles and recovered three, which secured him his first NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. Since then, Watt has continued to fortify the Steelers’ defensive line, establishing a reputation as one of the league’s top players.
Throughout the offseason, Khan expressed a consistent desire to finalize Watt’s contract. “T.J. is one of those legacy guys,” he noted back in February. “I was around Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu. Those guys spent their entire careers with us, and that’s a special thing. I’m hopeful and confident that T.J. will be one of those guys.”
While the intention was clear, negotiating this type of deal comes with its hurdles. A pivotal factor complicating talks was Garrett’s leverage play that led to a massive trade request from the Browns. In response to that demand, Cleveland quickly negotiated a four-year, $160 million extension, boasting $123.5 million in guarantees — a market-resetting move for the position.
With both Watt and Garrett being in the same age range—Watt celebrates his 31st birthday in October while Garrett turns 30 in December—this arrangement served as a critical touchstone in the contract discussions.
Another hurdle was the historical reluctance of the Steelers to extend guaranteed money beyond the first year of a contract. They broke from that tradition when Watt first entered free agency, securing three years of guarantees last time. This latest agreement continues that trend, handing him $108 million in guarantees, including for the first two years of this new extension.
As Watt gears up for this new chapter, he’s on a Hall of Fame trajectory. Among his achievements, he reached his 100th career sack last October, making him the second-fastest player in NFL history to achieve that milestone. However, there’s a poignant aspect to Watt’s journey—despite his individual accolades, he has yet to secure a playoff victory in his eight seasons, a fact that weighs heavily on him.
Reflecting on past playoff disappointments, Watt has expressed the desire to elevate the team’s overall success. “I say all the time, there’s a big difference between guys that come back that are Super Bowl champions and guys that aren’t,” he remarked ahead of last year’s early playoff exit. “And that’s not a slight at the guys that aren’t. I’m one of those guys right now, but there’s definitely an aura to a guy that has won a Super Bowl. And there’s a togetherness, a close-knit group of guys that when they come back for those alumni weekends, they hang out and they bond, and they talk about their successes on and off the field and that Super Bowl run.”
“Every guy in here wants that,” he continued with evident urgency. “Don’t confuse any of this lack of success for lack of effort. Everybody’s trying. We’re turning over every stone that we possibly can to be great. We want to be great. We just need to do it together. And there’s definitely a sense of urgency because it’s playoffs in the National Football League. This is what everybody plays the game for.”
With Watt now secured through the 2028 season, he’s not only committed to his team but also eager to play a key role in breaking the Steelers’ lengthy eight-year postseason winless streak. This extension is as much about financial commitment as it is about the heart of a player who desperately wants to elevate his team to new heights. The Steelers faithful will be watching closely as Watt aims to transform his ambitions into reality on the field this season.
