Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt has a new role.
New Pittsburgh Steelers DC Patrick Graham is demonstrating a willingness to move star T.J. Watt around that the previous staff lacked, according to Ben Solak of ESPN.
Watt famously lined up only over the right tackle under former coach Mike Tomlin, but he has flipped between the left and right during camp.
The Steelers signed Watt to a three-year, $123 million contract in 2025, with $108 million guaranteed. Watt turns 32 in October and has guaranteed salaries of $32 million in both 2026 and 2027.
A future Hall of Famer, Watt appeared in 14 games for the Steelers last season. He finished with seven sacks, 23 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 19 QB hits.
Watt has spent his entire NFL career in Pittsburgh. He enters next season with 115 sacks, 354 solo tackles, 136 tackles for loss and 244 QB hits. He's made eight Pro Bowls and four All-Pro selections and won the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year Award.
However, the Steelers are 0-5 in the playoffs in the Watt era. So even though Watt has put up incredible numbers, he hasn't helped Pittsburgh win a postseason game.
NFL scouts for Bleacher Report ranked Watt 41st-best among defensive players in the league.
Watt is one spot ahead of Devin Lloyd of the Carolina Panthers and one spot behind Zack Braun of the Philadelphia Eagles.
"A gold jacket is waiting for T.J. Watt whenever he decides to hang up his cleats," Bleacher Report wrote. "However, the future Hall of Famer's production dipped last season, as he isn't the same player he used to be. Watt can still win on the high side of the rush but lacks a good change-up to keep offensive tackles honest. At this stage of his career, Watt is also more of a finesse player against the run."
The Steelers open the 2026 season against the Atlanta Falcons.
Let's see if Watt can shut his critics up by racking up some sacks and tackles in that game.
