For many, this Sunday would have just been another Father’s Day. A wholesome breakfast or a celebratory brunch, followed by gifts from the children to their dad. But for TJ Watt, it was a very special day. It was his first Father’s Day as a ‘dad’. While there might not have been any grand celebration, he would have enjoyed the day, probably cuddling and playing with his three-month-old daughter, Blakely Marie Watt.
His wife, Dani, started the Father’s Day celebration at the Watts by posting a sweet message on Instagram. She also shared a few black and white photos of TJ, along with herself and their daughter on the occasion. She wrote, “Happy Father’s Day to the love of my life – the man who truly does it ALL.” “Watching you become the most incredible dad to our baby girl has been the greatest gift and has made me fall in love with you all over again. You’re everything I have ever dreamed of – the best husband, father, and the heart of our little family. We are so lucky to have you and love you beyond words.,” She added.
Reacting to this post, TJ Watt’s elder brother and former Defensive End, JJ Watt, also shared a message for him. “Great father. Great family!” JJ wrote. He lauded TJ’s ability to keep his personal life away from his professional life and not neglect it in any way. Thus, not letting anything affect his personal life with his wife and his daughter. Staying close to his family ever since the birth of his baby girl.
TJ Watt and his wife, retired soccer player Dani Watt, welcomed their little girl on March 10, 2025, after revealing their pregnancy in February 2025. They had announced her birth through a carousel of photos on Instagram and captioned, “Worth the wait. Welcome to the world, Blakely Marie Watt.” Since then, Watt has not allowed anything else to divert his attention from his family, making it his top priority. Despite still not having signed an extension contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as he enters his final year of the previous contract, it does not seem to be nearly as important as his family.
TJ Watt last signed an extension with the Steelers in 2021. It was a four-year contract, worth $112 million, which kept him through the 2025 season. Since then, he has played 59 games, making 232 tackles and 58.5 sacks. While his previous season (61 tackles and 11.5 sacks) wasn’t as productive as the 2023 season (68 tackles and 19 sacks), TJ will be coming into this season as a new man (and father), prepared to break previous records and deliver more.
But, his journey onto the field has a barrier that remains unbroken. The absence of being offered a new contract has resulted in TJ not attending the OTAs and now even the mandatory minicamp. Even the presence of a fine has not deterred TJ, who is happier paying the nearly $104,000 fine than showing his face in the minicamp. But new reports are indicating that the stand-off is almost over and that T.J. Watt will, in all likelihood, attend the training camp later in July.
TJ Watt may soon sign a contract extension
TJ Watt isn’t in a contract standoff for the first time. He’s been in this situation previously in 2021 as well, when he held in during the contract negotiations. But the vibe’s different this time around. The last time, TJ had at least shown his face during the minicamp, but that’s not the case now. Things are seeming dull right now, as NFL writer Mark Kaboly has hinted that the new extension is “not getting done over the next six weeks.” But there’s a silver lining to it.
During his appearance on the Kaboly+Mack podcast, Mark predicted the strong possibility of T.J. Watt attending the training camp next month. “I’m pretty sure, he’d show up for training camp,” he said. Indicating that there’s a high chance Mark will end his contract hold-in and participate in the training camp. But here’s the thing. Mark had said the same thing about the mandatory minicamp and proved to be wrong. “But I also thought he would show up for mandatory minicamp,” he added.
Dec 5, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linmebaxcker T.J. Watt sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
Mark was later asked whether TJ would participate in the team drills if he came for the training camp. Recollecting from the past occurrence, Kaboly said, “He’ll do what he does, you know, work out on the side. I wouldn’t do it. Would you? If you’re looking at $120 million hanging in the balance, would you go out there and bust your rear end off for, you know, 12 teams reps or what? No, I just go out and work on the side. I think that’s acceptable nowadays.”
With history not repeating itself, it will be tough to predict whether TJ Watt will join in for the training camp or not. While Mark has already been proven wrong once. Steelers fans will be hoping that he is proven wrong once more and that Watt and the team sign an extension within the next six weeks.
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