Following weeks of “will they or will not they” chatter, the Pittsburgh Steelers and pass-rusher T.J. Watt agreed to a three-year, $123M deal that included $108M assured forward of coaching camp.
Throughout a current chat for an upcoming model of the “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” program, Watt spoke about why he is not happy after he acquired his desired contract extension this summer season.
“Profitable a Tremendous Bowl is little doubt motivating me, and successful a playoff recreation is completely motivating me,” Watt mentioned, as shared by Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. “It is one thing that we’ve not been capable of do since I have been there. I feel that is completely unacceptable, and that’s what’s hooked up to my identify proper now. And I’ve to reply for that as a lot because it sucks. If you say, ‘T.J. Watt,’ you say, ‘T.J. Watt’s not gained a playoff recreation.'”
Pittsburgh notched a divisional-round playoff win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in January 2017, months earlier than the AFC North facet made Watt a first-round draft choose. Since then, the Mike Tomlin-led Steelers have gone 0-5 in postseason play. Most not too long ago, Watt was responsible for no conventional stats throughout Pittsburgh’s wild-card playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens this previous January.
Some believed considerations about how Watt “wore down a bit of bit” through the second half of final season had been among the many supposed causes Pittsburgh appeared a bit hesitant to pay the 30-year-old. Watt recommended through the interview that he feels he should be higher throughout Pittsburgh’s greatest video games of any marketing campaign.
“Genuinely bothers me as a result of I am part of these groups,” Watt added about Pittsburgh’s playoff document throughout his time with the group. “As a lot as I am just one participant, as a lot as whoever’s one participant, you’re placing your hand within the pile, too. I really feel like I could make a distinction sufficient to assist win a playoff recreation.”
As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had a 2025 Steelers workforce trying to assist quarterback Aaron Rodgers finish his profession “the right way” at +125 betting odds to make the playoffs. Pittsburgh will open the common season with a matchup on the New York Jets, Rodgers’ former membership, on Sept. 7.