T.J. Watt is the centerpiece of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense, but there could be trouble brewing in the Steel City. After Cleveland broke the bank for Myles Garrett with a four-year, $160 million contract, Watt seems to be signaling that he wants a similar pay scale.
Watt has one year left on his four-year, $112 million deal, but the football rumor mill is buzzing about a standstill between the star linebacker and the Steelers’ front office as they negotiate an extension.
Can the Steelers and T.J. Watt Break the Standstill in Contract Talks?
“The Pat McAfee Show” rang alarm bells as former linebackers A.J. Hawk and Tone Digs tried to suss out what’s happening in Pittsburgh.
“From everything that we know, it’s at a standstill. That’s all I’ve heard. I’ve heard that word, standstill, a few times,” Hawk pointed out.
“The rumor is he wants more than Myles Garrett, and it feels like the Steelers potentially don’t want to go,” Digs said.
“Like, last time T.J. had his contract talks, and he kicked the door down and he said, ‘Hey agents, I’m getting this done. I need to play football,’” Digs explained. “There was none of this that happened.”
What the hell is going on with TJ Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/fgKbXVVQcV
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 14, 2025
“I don’t know what the future’s gonna be,” Digs continued. “Would he hold out? Last time… he didn’t participate in training camp until he got his contract done. So it’s definitely something to watch right now. It’s interesting, and I don’t love it. I don’t love it, if we’re being honest.”
Watt has been one of the undisputed leaders of the Steelers’ defense since his rookie year in 2017. He has 108 sacks to go along with 482 tackles across his eight seasons, which include seven Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro selections. However, what was once unthinkable — Watt being traded or leaving — now seems like a possibility. Or at least one that the internet is chattering about.
This all stems from an Instagram story that Watt posted a few days ago, where he is pictured raising his arm and giving a peace hand signal. The meaning of the gesture is ambiguous, and the story had no caption, leaving Watt’s message open to interpretation.
T.J. Watt on Instagram ✌️
What do we make of this?? pic.twitter.com/GfdEZdthYj
— Austin Bechtold (@AustinRBechtold) April 9, 2025
Fan reactions to Watt’s post have whipsawed back and forth in the days since. Some think he is just trying to get paid, while others suggest the team should trade him for draft picks.
@JBaileyNFL judging off Garrett and other guys I genuinely think it’s calculated to get his bag
— Epplepsy (@Epplepsy2) April 9, 2025
This is another big decision the Steelers have to navigate — along with figuring out the present and future at quarterback. As the saying goes, the Steelers are living in interesting times.