T.J. Watt joined Julius Peppers on exclusive list after INT vs. Falcons

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steelers' T.J. Watt joined Julius Peppers on exclusive list after interception vs. Falcons

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Sep 13, 2026 4:34 PM ET

Former Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers will need to make some room for Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt.

In the fourth quarter of a 20-13 home win against the Atlanta Falcons, Watt intercepted quarterback Cooper Rush while leaping up and grabbing a pass. With the forced turnover, Watt joined Peppers on an exclusive list.

T.J. Watt joins Julius Peppers on this list

Per NFL+, Watt and Peppers are now the only players with 100-plus career sacks and 10-plus interceptions since sacks became an official stat in 1982.

Watt entered Sunday's game with 115 sacks and nine interceptions in 135 games in his first nine seasons for the Steelers. Peppers, meanwhile, recorded 159.5 sacks and 11 interceptions in 266 games in 17 seasons with the Panthers, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.

T.J. Watt joins Julius Peppers as the only players with 100+ sacks and 10+ INT, since sacks were first tracked in 1982

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Peppers, of course, is a Hall of Famer. Watt, who turns 32 on Oct. 11, should join him in Canton after he retires. Per Pro Football Reference's HOF monitor, his score of 83.93 is close to the average of a HOF outside LB (103).

He'll improve that mark if he makes more Pro Bowls or earns more first-team All-Pro nods. Watt almost certainly will.

The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year has made eight Pro Bowls and earned four first-team All-Pro nods. 2002 Defensive Rookie of the Year Peppers made nine Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro three times. His score of 119.75 is above average for a HOF DE (102).

The HOF is also the home for players who accomplish rare feats, as Watt and Peppers have.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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