Hall of Famer Rod Woodson isn’t mincing words when it comes to his former team’s star pass rusher.
During a recent appearance on Up and Adams with Kay Adams, Woodson made it clear: the Pittsburgh Steelers need to open up the checkbook for T.J. Watt.
And we’re not talking about some modest raise. Woodson thinks Watt should be making more than Myles Garrett’s record-setting $160 million deal in Cleveland.
Why T.J. Watt Deserves to Reset the Pass Rusher Market
Here’s the thing about Pittsburgh: they don’t usually rip up contracts. Woodson knows this firsthand. “The Steelers, when you have an existing contract, they normally don’t tear it up and redo another contract for you,” he explained on the show.
But with Watt looking at $35-40 million per year on the open market (yeah, you read that right), Woodson’s message was simple: times have changed, and the Steelers better change with them.
Hey Rod Woodson, should TJ Watt get paid more than Myles Garrett?
Yes. pic.twitter.com/6DvRQknCuD
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) June 11, 2025
Woodson isn’t just talking about keeping a player happy. He’s talking about sending a message to the entire locker room that Pittsburgh is serious about winning, not just sticking to some old playbook about contracts.
Let’s talk numbers for a second. Watt has 108 career sacks and has basically won games single-handedly. Woodson brought up Garrett’s playoff struggles as a comparison point, basically saying Watt shows up when it matters most. “Let’s keep our best player happy and motivated,” Woodson said, and honestly, it’s hard to argue with that logic.
The guy transforms the entire defense just by being on the field. When your teammates are having off days, Watt’s still out there wrecking game plans and forcing fumbles. That kind of consistency? Yeah, that’s worth top dollar.
The Business Case for Breaking Steelers Tradition
Here’s where it gets interesting from a cap perspective. Woodson pointed out that waiting until Watt’s contract year is just bad business. You lose leverage, the market could go crazy, and suddenly you’re in a bidding war that makes today’s price look like a bargain.
By extending him now, the Steelers can spread those cap hits out and keep some flexibility for other moves. Plus (and this is the kicker), if they wait and Watt hits free agency, they could end up paying even more or worse, losing him entirely. Nobody wants to be the GM who let T.J. Watt walk.
This isn’t just about one player’s contract. If Pittsburgh actually does this, it’s a complete 180 from how they’ve always done business. The Steelers are famous for being conservative with money, but Woodson’s point is solid: elite pass rushers are basically as valuable as quarterbacks now. The game has changed, and the pay scale needs to catch up.
“Let’s break precedent,” Woodson said. “Let’s reward T.J. Watt the way he deserves.”
The clock’s ticking. Watt already skipped mandatory minicamp, which tells you negotiations aren’t exactly going smoothly. GM Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin have some serious decisions to make. Do they stick to the Steelers’ traditional approach and risk losing their best defensive player? Or do they listen to Woodson and write that check?
One thing’s for sure: every day without a deal is another day closer to this situation getting messy. And in a division with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, you can’t afford to have your best pass rusher unhappy.
