TJ Watt’s net worth in 2024

TJ Watt’s net worth in 2024 sits at about $10 million, according to Sportskeeda.

Watt was a three-star prospect out of Pewaukee High School in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. He is part of one of the most famous football families of the modern era, as both his brothers played in the NFL.

He is the youngest brother of former fullback Derek Watt, but the most successful Watt has been JJ, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. TJ followed in his brothers’ footsteps by attending the University of Wisconsin.

TJ Watt’s college career

Watt was a tight end coming out of high school, and a knee injury kept him out for the entire 2014 season and half of 2015. He didn’t play a football game from October 2012 to September 2015.

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst requested that TJ change to a defensive position before the 2015 season, and he agreed to become an outside linebacker. The coaching staff treated him as a freshman, teaching him the position and trying to give the team a boost.

Watt’s sophomore season was just about him learning the position, and the coaching staff did an unbelievable job getting him ready for his junior season. After the fourth game of his junior season, Watt led the Big Ten in sacks. He won Big Ten Player of the Week against Michigan State and the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week.

Watt finished the season with 59 total tackles and 11.5 sacks. He also recorded an interception and touchdown against Purdue.

He was a First Team All-American from Sports Illustrated and ESPN, and a Second Team member by Associated Press, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports. The Big Ten conference also named him a first-teamer on November 29, 2016. Watt chose to cash in on the hype by forgoing his senior season and entering the 2017 NFL Draft.

Watt received an invitation to the scouting combine as one of the top edge rushers in the draft. He looked to be a late first-round or second-round pick.

TJ Watt is drafted by the Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Watt with the 30th-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the fourth linebacker selected and the second outside linebacker.

Watt signed a four-year, $9.25 million deal, which was fully guaranteed. He had the difficult task of competing with James Harrison for the starting right outside linebacker position but won the job to begin the regular season.

Watt proved why he was the starter, recording seven combined tackles, two sacks, and an interception in his debut. He finished the season with 54 combined tackles, seven pass deflections, seven sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception.

Watt continued his dominance during the 2018 and 2019 seasons and was third in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award voting in 2019. He finished the year with an AFC-high 14.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles. Watt solidified his spot as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.

It looked like Watt might win his first DPOY award in 2020. He led the NFL in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback sacks. However, he finished second in the voting. Despite the snub, his peers voted him the ninth-best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021.

The Steelers gave Watt his rookie extension before the 2021 season. He signed a four-year, $112 million deal, which included a $35.6 million signing bonus and $80 million guaranteed.

Watt finally claimed the elusive award in 2021. He finished the season by leading the league in sacks (22.5), tackles for loss (21), and quarterback hits (39). It was an impressive stat line as he missed two games and parts of three others. He rightfully earned the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year award.

TJ Watt struggles as Steelers falter

Watt tore his pectoral muscle in Week 1 of the 2022 season. He went on injured reserve and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery for another injury he had in the preseason.

He returned on November 11, 2022, and finished the season with 39 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and a career-low 5.5 sacks in 10 games. Watt fell to 27th on the Top 100 players list.

Watt returned to full health in 2023 and was a bright spot on a struggling Steelers team. He finished the season with 68 tackles, 19 sacks, four forced fumbles, one interception, and a defensive touchdown. The Steelers made the playoffs, but Watt missed it with a knee injury.

Nevertheless, did JJ Watt’s net worth in 2024 surprise you?