“If they don’t get something done and TJ doesn’t show up, I’m starting to wonder, will he show up and not do anything?” This is what Ben Roethlisberger said about the TJ Watt holdup a few days ago. And now? We’re nowhere closer to even a hint of clarity. And by the looks of it, things are about to get really messy.
This feels like it’s heading straight for a big showdown, one of the Steelers’ best defensive players ever on one side, and the front office on the other, trying to walk that same tightrope we saw back in 2021. And well, we all remember how that went. One slip, one bad call, and things can go downhill fast.
So, yes. TJ Watt and the Steelers are still stuck in a contract standoff, and we’re just days away from training camp kicking off on July 23. According to Mark Kaboly on X, it’s a bit of a holding pattern right now. Length of deal, guarantees, and total value, everything. The good news? Kaboly says Watt isn’t expected to hold out when camp starts, and there haven’t been any trade talks or anything like that. Not full-blown panic just yet. But things can spiral downwards, and quickly.
Steelers are still in a holding pattern with T.J. Watt’s contract extension. Length of deal, guarantees and total value — basically everything, to some varying degrees — are the sticking points right now.
Even so, there is no anticipation for Watt to holdout when camp starts… pic.twitter.com/PoVTbqU6VF
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) July 11, 2025
Even so, neither side is budging. Watt’s heading into the final year of that $112 million deal he signed back in 2021. And now? He’s reportedly eyeing a payday that matches (or even tops) what Myles Garrett just got. We’re talking $40 million a year. That’s a huge jump from the $28 million he’s pulling in now. And this is a big number, yes. But you’d be lying to yourself if you think he doesn’t deserve every bit of it.
This isn’t just some routine contract back-and-forth. It’s TJ Watt. A 7× Pro Bowler, 3× Deacon Jones Award winner, 108+ sacks, 33 forced fumbles, the man is an icon. Yeah, he’s 30 now and asking for top-tier money, but going by his showing on the field, it’s only fair. And yet… the Steelers are reportedly “doing their due diligence,” making quiet calls around the league to see what kind of trade value he might have. Kaboly says it’s more about caution than a full-blown crisis.
Now the pressure’s really on Mike Tomlin and the front office. Does this situation sound familiar to you at all? Yeah, because we’ve been here before. Back in 2021, Watt pulled the now-legendary “hold-in” at camp, then finally signed that big-money deal right before Week 1. Can Tomlin manage both the on‑field preparation and off‑field distractions? Because his ‘win now’ 2025 plan might depend on it.
TJ Watt’s contractual standoff is an old, old story
Mike Tomlin must be a very tired man right now. Because this holdout? It’s been going on for so long. Fans were hoping they’d get answers as soon as the offseason started. And we’re days away from training camp, and there’s nothing, nada. Watt hasn’t made his intentions officially clear, and there’s no way to tell where the front office is heading.
And like any other contract holdout, it wasn’t short of trade rumors at some point. Word is, teams like the Raiders are keeping a close eye on how this plays out. No official trade calls yet, as Kaboly remarked. But you know how this goes… all it takes is one phone call,
Looking back, Watt’s 2021 standoff hit its boiling point right in the middle of training camp. Remember that? He was out there, working off to the side, but never actually joining team drills. The tension was so real. Well, until that last-minute deal finally came through just before the season started. But this time around? Things don’t look too….hopeful.
Mike Tomlin’s biggest challenge this fall might not even be on the field. It’s keeping this whole situation from blowing up. Navigating that chaos, avoiding a full-blown holdout, and definitely not trading away the guy who is the face of the franchise? You could say these are his primary concerns as we approach the season, not the playbook.
One thing is clear: the Steelers need to decide. Fast. You can choose to extend him or let him go, but the priority should be avoiding a full-fledged war. Avoid a ‘bad blood’ situation, as Big Ben warned.
The post Steelers News: T.J. Watt’s Contract Stalemate Tightens Familiar Deadline Nightmare for Mike Tomlin appeared first on EssentiallySports.
