Steelers Insider Makes Bold T.J. Watt Guarantee

T.J. Watt reclaimed his title as the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history after signing a three-year, $123 million extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. There's some skepticism that Watt will be able to keep up his high level of play as he enters his age-31 campaign, but the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo doesn't believe the team has anything to worry about on that front.

"They're betting on him to perform," Fittipaldo said on 93.7 The Fan, per Steelers Depot's Ross McCorkle. "Let's take out the torn pec year. Every other year, except for his rookie year, he's in double-digit sacks ... So if he is not injured, I think the Steelers are guaranteed to get double-digit sacks out of him for the remainder of this contract. And I think if he's right, you're probably talking 15, 16 a year based on what he's done in the past."

Watt's 11.5-sack total in 2024 was his lowest in a full season since he posted seven during his rookie year in 2017, but he still tied for the eighth-most in the league. Additionally, his six forced fumbles was tops in the NFL, helping him secure a fourth-place finish in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting.

The end of the year wasn't kind to Watt, as he logged a sack in just one of his five final regular season contests, though the fact that Pro Football Focus charted him as having 18 pressures during that stretch suggests that his numbers weren't as impressive as they should've been.

A seven-time Pro Bowler who has crafted a Hall of Fame-worthy resume, Watt remains one of the league's top edge rushers and should have no issue producing for the duration of his record-setting contract.

It helps that he doesn't have to shoulder the entire load up front too, as the likes of Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, 2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig should all wreak plenty of havoc.

Though Watt is slowly entering the back years of his career, there's no reason to believe his play will fall off a cliff.