As the Pittsburgh Steelers get ready for training camp, negotiations with T.J. Watt on a contract have reached a heated stalemate. The 30-year-old linebacker, a rare remaining elite pass rusher in the league, apparently feels that this is his last opportunity to land a franchise deal—and he won’t budge.
NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, making an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, wasn’t shy: “Certainly, there’s an acknowledgement for all parties that that’s not the worth of TJ Watt. But are you willing to pay him upwards of 40 million dollars per year, coming off a back half of 2024 where he didn’t and the defense didn’t play the way that we’ve been accustomed?”
The underlying problem is not just the salary number—it’s the framework, guarantees, and where that amount slots into Pittsburgh’s long-term cap picture. While Watt continues to be one of the scariest defenders in the game, he’s at the second half of his career, and recent slippage in his play toward the end of 2024 has created doubts about durability to come.
T.J. Watt’s position is adamant—and possibly impeding. As reported by Pelissero, T.J. Watt has informed the Steelers that if he does not get a contract he perceives as equitable, the team may be in for an annoyance that lasts through camp.
With training camp opening July 23, time is running out to prevent a scenario similar to his 2021 hold-in, when negotiations dragged on into September.Even with external distractions—such as a lacerating social media shot from former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown—the greater worry is in-house: whether the front office will accommodate Watt’s requests or jeopardize the locker room leader they’ve constructed their defense around.
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