PITTSBURGH — T.J. Watt, the star edge rusher for the Steelers, is entering the last year of his contract and is looking for an extension. According to league sources, he does not intend to attend the mandatory minicamp.
Watt skipped all six of the Steelers’ optional OTAs over the past two weeks, but now by missing mandatory practices, he risks being fined by the team, which means he is starting what can be called a “holdout.”
His choice could lead to a long standoff if the talks go similarly to his previous contract situation.
Back in the summer of 2021, as he was about to enter his final contract year, Watt “held in” during training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., where he worked separately while his teammates did team drills.
This uncertainty carried on through preseason and into Week 1 practices.
The two parties finally reached an agreement on the Thursday before the start of the season. Watt signed a four-year extension worth $112 million, averaging $28 million per year.
At that time, this deal made him the highest-paid defender in the NFL and guaranteed him $80 million for the first three seasons—an unusual move for the Steelers, who usually don’t offer guarantees beyond the first year.
The Steelers quickly began to see returns from their investment in the seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. In his first year under this new contract, Watt topped the league with 22 1/2 sacks, tying Michael Strahan for the record for most sacks in a single season.
He also forced five fumbles and recovered three, earning him the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award.
After injuries kept Watt to just 10 games and 5 1/2 sacks in 2022, he bounced back in 2023, leading the league with 19 sacks. The previous year, he had recorded 11 1/2 sacks and led with six forced fumbles.
