T.J. Watt Fantasy Stats

For the second time in his career, Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt becomes the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history by reaching an agreement on Thursday on a three-year, $123 million contract extension that includes $108 million fully guaranteed at signing, sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter. The $41 million per year average is the highest of any non-QB in NFL history. The 30-year-old is a game-wrecker for the Steelers defense, and he's been a Pro Bowler each of the last seven seasons while also being named a first-team All-Pro four times. Watt has led the league in sacks three times and has 108 of them since debuting in 2017. However, he does have a lengthy injury history and totaled only 11.5 sacks in 17 regular-season games after recording 19 in 2023. As long as he can stay healthy, Watt should continue to be one of the best all-around defenders in 2025.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Pittsburgh Steelers and linebacker T.J. Watt aren't close to resolving the ongoing contract dispute. The team wants to keep him. However, there are still some glaring issues regarding a new deal, specifically, length and guaranteed money. The 30-year-old is still a top defensive option despite closing in on a decade of service in the National Football League, most recently finishing the 2024 campaign with 11.5 sacks while totaling 61 tackles. With training camp commencing in a few weeks, there is a greater sense of urgency for a deal to get done. If Watt isn't on the field come Week 1, it won't be an ideal scenario for a Steelers defense that is projected to be one of the most potent fantasy units in 2025.

Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt is due to around $21 million in the last year of his current contract, but the question for the Steelers is whether they are willing to pay a player that will turn 31 this fall upwards of $40 million per year on a new extension. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero believes that the two sides will get something done before either training camp or the start of the 2025 regular season, and when it is done, it will reset the edge-rush market. Watt has made the Pro Bowl each of the last seven seasons and has been an All-Pro four times in his career while leading the NFL in sacks in three of the last five years. The downside is he has an extensive injury history and dropped to 11.5 sacks in 17 regular-season starts a year ago. The Steelers and Watt are currently in a stalemate, but with Pittsburgh all-in on 2025, it's highly unlikely that Watt will be traded.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac said on the Rich Eisen Show that Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt is in a stalemate with the team regarding a contract extension because he "wants to be the highest-paid non-quarterback" in the league. Watt will turn 31 years old in October, so the Steelers don't want to do an extension for anything less than five years in order to spread the money out in terms of guarantees and a signing bonus. The Steelers want to bring Watt, one of the most disruptive defenders in the league, but they know it's not a smart business decision after they noticed a decline in his performance last year when he dropped from a league-leading 19 sacks in 2023 to 11.5 last year in 17 regular-season starts. The Steelers usually don't play hard ball with their stars, but this is something that could stretch well into training camp and the preseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt has been in the thick of trade rumors this offseason, and the team's activity on the trade market on Monday has only fanned the flames of those rumors. However, NFL.com's Bobby Kownack reports that the Steelers have no intention of trading Watt and remain focused on agreeing to a deal with the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Watt is heading into the final season of his four-year, $112 million contract extension that he signed ahead of the 2021 campaign, and the Wisconsin product has tallied at least 11.5 sacks in each of the three full seasons he has played in since. Watt is one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, so it would be a surprise if the Steelers did not eventually come to an agreement with their 2017 first-round selection. In 121 career games, Watt has tallied 462 tackles (331 solo), 108 sacks, 33 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, seven interceptions, 50 pass deflections, and 75.5 run stuffs.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that despite the Pittsburgh Steelers' unwillingness to trade superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt, the 30-year-old remains unhappy with his contract situation. Furthermore, Schefter notes that some sources believe "outside team interest is likely to increase given today's trade." The Steelers and Dolphins stole headlines on the first day of NBA free agency when the two teams agreed to a blockbuster deal involving defensive backs Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick. However, Pittsburgh has made it clear they want Watt to retire in the Steel City. It'd likely take a massive offering even to pique the organization's interest, and while it's possible, there has been no indication that the Steelers will forfeit his rights. Watt is in the final season of a four-year, $112 million extension he signed back in 2021.

Pittsburgh Steelers star pass-rusher T.J. Watt is not expected to attend mandatory minicamp this week, a source tells The Athletic's Diana Russini. Watt is angling for a new contract extension, and although the two sides are fully expected to work something out before the start of the 2025 regular season this fall, it's something that could stretch into training camp this summer. Despite being 30 years old, the seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro remains one of the most disruptive defensive players in the NFL when he's healthy. Watt is the heart and soul of Pittsburgh's physical defensive unit, and although he dropped to 11.5 sacks last year after posting a league-high 19 the year prior, he was still plenty productive in IDP fantasy formats with 61 tackles (40 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits, a league-high six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 17 regular-season starts.

The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly expect to reach an agreement on a contract extension with All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt before the start of the 2025 regular season, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac. Watt could "hold in" during training camp this summer if nothing is done by then, but the Steelers like their chances of getting something done eventually after another dominant season for the 30-year-old game-changing pass-rusher in 2024. The former 30th overall pick in 2017 out of Wisconsin has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last seven seasons and in seven of his eight years in the NFL. He had 11.5 sacks, 61 tackles (40 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits, a league-high six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 17 regular-season starts. Contract issues aside, Watt should once again be considered one of the best IDP fantasy targets heading into Year 9.

Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who is entering the final year of his contract in 2025, is currently negotiating a new deal with the team, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. For what it's worth, Watt revealed an Instagram post on Wednesday of him flashing a peace sign, perhaps indicating a rocky start to the negotiations. The 30-year-old was a Pro Bowler for the seventh straight season in 2024 and had 61 tackles (40 solo), 11.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits and a league-leading six forced fumbles in 17 regular-season starts. He dropped down in the sack department after leading the league with 19 in 2024, but Watt still led the Steelers in sacks and remained a must-start in IDP fantasy leagues, finishing third in fantasy points as a defensive lineman. Although Watt and the Steelers might not be close to an extension right now, we'd be surprised if they don't get something done.

The Pittsburgh Steelers made All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt the highest-paid defensive player in the league before the 2021 season at around $28 million per year, and ESPN's Dan Graziano suggests the best way for the Steelers to knock down Watt's team-high $30.4 million salary cap number in 2025 is to give him an extension as he heads into the final year of his previous extension. A new extension could be much trickier to navigate, though, and could drag well into the offseason. Watt is 30 years old now and will be in a market in which both Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons will be looking to set the edge-rusher market. Even though Watt had 11.5 sacks (down from 19 in 2023), he was still plenty disruptive with 61 tackles (40 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits, four pass breakups and a league-high six forced fumbles in 17 regular-season starts. He's injury-prone, but you know you're getting a beast in IDP leagues when he's healthy.