T.J. Watt had tough reaction to perceived Defensive Player of the Year snub

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt isn’t taking his recent NFL Defensive Player of the Year snub lightly.

The NFL on Thursday announced the winners of a handful of season-long awards during the annual NFL Honors show. While Watt was listed as a finalist for the 2024 NFL DPOY award, he ended up losing to Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.

Watt may have caught wind of the result before the official announcement. The Steelers star posted on social media a full hour before the NFL Honors event began.

“Nothing I’m not used to,” wrote Watt using his official X account.

Watt was named first-team All-Pro this season for the fourth time in his seven-year NFL career. Watt led the league in sacks with 19.0 sacks along with four forced fumbles and one interception.

Garrett lagged behind Watt in the sacks department, finishing with 14.0 sacks of his own. But Garrett was the lynchpin holding together a Browns defense that had a case as the NFL’s best unit this past season. Cleveland allowed a league-best 270.2 yards per game.

The Browns defender edged out his Steelers counterpart with 23 first-place votes compared to Watt’s 19.

While Watt has a legitimate gripe to be upset, another finalist backed Garrett as well.

Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons defended Garrett’s claim to the award over both Watt and himself, calling Garrett the “better player” among the three. Parsons pointed to Garrett facing more double teams and having a great impact against opposing quarterbacks — something not as easily measured on the stat sheet.