Troy Fautanu shocked the Steel City with his handling of T.J. Watt in Latrobe — but the star defender isn't shying away from defeat; he welcomes the challenge.
Selected with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Steelers hold Fautanu in high regard heading into 2025 — and so does Watt, who recently explained why facing off against the second-year Steeler is already paying dividends.
“And for me, it’s awesome because Troy’s a young guy, comes from college," Watt said via NFL Training Camp Interviews on SiriusXM. "I go up against a lot of young tackles at times, but he’s very, very athletic. He’s not that giant, oversized tackle that can’t move. So it’s a lot of fun for me to be able to go up against him and get his feet moving. And it challenges me every day.”
Earlier this week in training camp, Fautanu turned heads with two pass-block wins against Watt. While some may be quick to shift criticism toward the new highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, the situation speaks more to the abilities of Fautanu — who's primed for a Year 2 breakout.
Steel sharpens steel is the definition of the battles between these two talented players — and clearly, Watt is excited about what he'll gain from these opportunities this season.
