TJ Watt @_TJWattIf it’s ok with Yinz, I’d like to stay a while!! LETS GO PITTSBURGH!!!!
On Thursday, the team locked up the linebacker to a four-year, $112 million contract extension with $80 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, ending a hold out without the star missing any games.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheetSources: The #Steelers and star pass-rusher TJ Watt have a mega-deal. He’s going to sign a 4-year extension worth more than $112M — $28.003M average per year — with $80M fully guaranteed at signing. The highest paid defensive player in football. 💰 💰 💰
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Watt "overruled" his agents, who were reportedly looking to squeeze more money out of the team:
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefterSteelers’ OLB T.J. Watt overruled his agents who believed they could get more money today, marched into the office of Steelers president Art Rooney and told him they had a deal. Then the NFL’s new highest-paid defensive player excused himself and announced he had to go work out.
Watt has been excellent for Pittsburgh since the team drafted him 30th overall out of Wisconsin in 2017.
In his first three seasons in the league, the youngest of the Watt brothers tallied 125 solo tackles, 34.5 sacks, 15 forced fumbles and three interceptions combined. He started all 16 games in 2018 and 2019 become an anchor of the Steelers defense.
On April 28, 2020, just ahead of his fourth year in the league, Pittsburgh picked up the fifth-year option on Watt's contract, ensuring he'd play out the rest of his rookie deal with the team that made him a first-round pick.
Watt entered the league on a four-year, $9.25 million contract with his fifth-year option paying an additional $10.08 million by itself. It's a cap hit the Steelers were all too eager to take on.
The linebacker would've become a free agent in 2020 had he not signed his extension. Now he's set to become the highest-paid defensive player in the league.
At just 26 years old, Watt seemingly has the rest of his career ahead of him as the Steelers look to build on last year's 12-4 record.
Watt has plenty of reasons to want to stay in Pittsburgh. Not only has the team committed a vast sum of money to the 2019 All-Pro selectee, but it also brought in older brother Derek to serve as fullback in 2020, giving the elder Watt a three-year, $9.75 million contract after he spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Steelers continue to go all-in on the family, and locking up their star linebacker long term was always a necessity.
Now they don't have to worry about him going anywhere for the next five years.
