On Sundays in Pittsburgh, loyalty is stitched into Terrible Towels and echoed in the chants that roll through Acrisure Stadium. For decades, the city’s pride was built on solid ground. Six Super Bowl trophies, a lineage of legends, a steel curtain that terrorised opponents, and a reputation for playing football the way it’s meant to be played: hard, physical, and with purpose. But one of the franchise’s most dominant modern stars now walks around with an unwanted asterisk. For T.J. Watt, that asterisk now grows bigger with his $123 million extension.
Just before the training camp rolled around, the Steelers decided to flip the defensive market on its back. Watt’s $41 million a year gives him the throne as the highest-paid defensive player (at least for now). But all the money in the world cannot quench a desire that has gone unfulfilled for 8 long years in Steel City. Watt, by his own admission, is haunted by the ghost of a past that just won’t leave him alone.
T.J. Watt, a 7-time Pro Bowler and record-setting sack artist, who was named Defensive Player of the Year, has never won a playoff game with the Steelers. And he hates it.
On a recent edition of In Depth with Graham Bensinger, TJ Watt bared his soul. When asked about what motivates him, Watt didn’t just talk about mentoring the young guys or back-to-back 60+ tackles seasons. The driving force behind the backbone of Pittsburgh’s defence hits much closer to home. Watt noted that he’s trying to give his best performance as always. A common answer, right? But here’s where the stakes get real. “And winning a Super Bowl is no doubt motivating me. And winning a playoff game is absolutely motivating me. It’s something that we haven’t been able to do since I’ve been here. I think that’s absolutely unacceptable… that is what’s attached to my name right now. And I have to answer for that. As much as it sucks when you say TJ Watt XYZ, you also say TJ Watt not won a playoff game.”
T.J. Watt has done almost everything individually since arriving in Pittsburgh in 2017. He’s led the league in sacks (twice), tied Michael Strahan’s single-season record (22.5 sacks in 2021), and built a resume that screams Hall of Fame. Yet every accolade carries a footnote. No playoff wins. Not one. His frustration isn’t veiled; it’s vocal. Watt admits that this tag bothers him a lot. He believes he can “make a difference enough to help win a playoff game,” and talks about the Steelers legends like Joe Greene (4x Super Bowl champ) and Jerome Bettis (Super Bowl XL). As Watt further adds, “It’s like ‘TJ Watt, yeah, great individual player, but what’s his team’s success?’ And that’s what really bothers me.”
ATLANTA, GA Ð SEPTEMBER 08: Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt 90 talks with head coach Mike Tomlin during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons on September 8th, 2024 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire NFL: SEP 08 Steelers at Falcons EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon240908022
The Steelers do have a winning record for 18 straight years under HC Mike Tomlin. But the new Lombardi Trophies always seem out of reach for the black and gold faithful, whose groans of despair grow louder with every single missed postseason glory after 2016. Watt isn’t alone with his frustrations, but he’s not wallowing in them either. Watt is gearing up to make some big changes to his Pittsburgh legacy.
TJ Watt’s new mission: Flipping the script
This summer, despite that heavy tag of “not won a playoff game,” Watt is turning the page. And if anyone in the league is wired to transform frustration into fuel, it’s him. He’s thoroughly motivated to change the playoff narrative for his team. And the franchise seems to think along those lines as well. With a retooled roster and veteran additions across the board, the Steelers have also placed a big bet on Aaron Rodgers to bring the heat in his last NFL ride. As for Watt, who notably missed the offseason training programs due to the contract holdout, that saga has ended, and now he’s looking forward to training camp with the rest of the team.
A clip went up recently on the Steelers’ official X handle featuring TJ Watt, all smiles, and ready to drop a bold prediction. On the clip, Watt directly spoke to the fans: “What’s up, Steeler Nation? I am excited to officially be signed to an extension. So excited to see you guys in Latrobe tomorrow. Here we go, it’s going to be a special year.” Short, sweet, and full of determination to break the postseason heartaches. As the caption of the post sums it up perfectly, “Let’s get to work @_TJWatt”. In Pittsburgh, greatness is measured in rings, not just records, and dismissing playoff droughts with stats just doesn’t cut it. Watt wears the past eight years as both a scar and a spark, and aims to bring about some changes this time around.
Steelers Nation waits, hoping their highest-paid star, the heartbeat of their defense, can finally drag the franchise back to its championship tradition. For Watt, the journey isn’t about erasing disappointment; it’s about using it as kindling for a new chapter where “what’s the team’s success?” is no longer part of the conversation. For the Steelers, the stakes in 2025 are higher than ever. Winning when it matters the most is all that remains.
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