This is wild.
NFL execs, coaches, and scouts don't fear Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt as much as they used to.
Last year, Watt was the second-ranked edge rusher in the NFL. This year? He's down to No. 7.
"This is a sizable fall for Watt, a three-time sack king who logged back-to-back No. 2 rankings over the past two years," Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote. "Watt missed three late-season games in 2025 with a partially collapsed lung due to an accident during a routine dry needling incident at the team facility. But his pass rush win rate in 14 games was 11.7%, the lowest among this year's top 10 rushers."
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.
"Definitely in decline," an AFC exec said. "He's still very good. But some of the younger players have surpassed him."
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-Pros 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.
"He can win with his high motor and his flair for the big play, but the burst and get-off isn't the same as it was as a result of lower-body injuries," an NFL personnel evaluator said.
There haven't been any credible rumors stating that the Steelers are looking to trade Watt, so all signs point toward T.J. being in Pittsburgh next season.
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