This offseason hasn’t been short on friction for Pittsburgh’s franchise pass rusher. With training camp days away, T.J. Watt remains one of the last big-name veterans without a new deal in place. What do you do when the league won’t meet your number, and your own team’s stalling on the math? If you’re Watt, you play it cool, or maybe just play it differently. Pittsburgh has reportedly balked at meeting his price tag, a number believed to hover around Myles Garrett‘s $40M-per-year extension.
Watt, 31 in October, still showed out last season: 11.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, and the same motor that’s made him a four-time All-Pro. But while the franchise insists he’s untouchable, the silence from the front office and whispers of trade chatter have kept fans on edge. Now, in the middle of all that noise, and zero word from the player himself. Watt may have just broken his silence in the most unexpected way possible. Not with a tweet. Not through a mic. But with a cutting board and a skillet.
Shared by his wife, Dani Marie Watt, an Instagram Story lit up social media circles late Saturday: a bowl of linguine, grilled chicken laid perfectly on top, creamy sauce with spinach, red pepper flakes, and the kind of detail that screams this wasn’t takeout. The caption? “@tjwatt90 can do it all. ” That was it. But it said everything. No holdout hashtags. No cryptic lyrics. Just a proud wife flexing her husband’s hidden talents at home, and this came at a time when the football world is wondering what his next move will be on the field.
The Steelers’ all-time sack leader is cooking in the kitchen while things are simmering off the field, too. The camp opens July 23, and their defensive anchor still doesn’t have a new deal. Watt wants to be paid like the perennial DPOY candidate. Her wife’s Instagram was not a press release. But it might be the most Watt has said all summer.
T.J. Watt’s future murkier as trade talk grows louder
Now there’s smoke and possibly fire. Steelers beat reporter Mark Kaboly stirred up controversy after claiming Pittsburgh had begun quietly gauging Watt’s trade value. “They are obviously inquiring to see what that might be,” he said on 93.7 The Fan before later walking it back online. He clarified that no active trade calls have been made and that Pittsburgh remains in a “holding pattern.” But insiders aren’t buying the clean-up job.
What makes the situation harder to decode is the Steelers’ track record. Historically, they don’t cave early. Even if it causes conflict in the locker room, they’ve let stars test the market or play out deals before extending them. But Watt isn’t just another name on the list of players. He has been the heart of the Steelers’ defense since 2017. Seven Pro Bowls, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and the kind of consistency that makes schemes look smarter than they are.
September 29, 2024, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA: September 29, 2024: T.J. Watt 90 during the Pittsburgh Steelers vs Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis IN. Brook Ward / Apparent Media Group Indianapolis USA – ZUMAa234 20240929_zsa_a234_010 Copyright: xAMGx
Yet even that resume hasn’t guaranteed clarity. With cap space tightening and age becoming a real talking point, executives around the league aren’t sure Watt would even draw a first-round pick in a trade. “If Hendrickson couldn’t fetch a 1, Watt might not either not with that next contract looming,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show. Translation? The Steelers are caught in a corner: not ready to extend, not eager to trade, and not exactly in control of the story anymore.
Watt, meanwhile, isn’t talking. But that might be the most calculated move of all.
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