It didn’t take long for Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt to respond to what Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett said about his reaction to the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year voting. But Watt chose not to get into a war of words two days before his team faces the Browns on Thursday Night Football.
Instead, the Steelers edge rusher complimented Garrett and made clear that his focus is on winning.
“I have respect for everybody in the league. Obviously, he’s a guy who has been a top pass rusher in the league for a long time,” Watt told reporters, via The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski. “But I don’t compete directly against him. It’s our team versus their team, and at the end of the day, I just want the Pittsburgh Steelers to come out with a win.”
Watt’s response came after Garrett called out the Steelers edge rusher for his tweet after Garrett won the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year award.
“I’ve never complained about the trophy not being at my house,” Garrett told reporters on November 19. “Vice versa. He shouldn’t be feeling two ways about it going to me.”
Rivalry Growing Between Star Edge Rushers
Garrett has been a public enemy in Western Pennsylvania since he slammed a helmet on Mason Rudolph’s head in 2019. Fortunately, both organizations have moved past that incident and players even joked about it last year.
Steelers fans were still displeased Watt didn’t win the Defensive Player of the Year award last year. But that had less to do with Garrett and more to do with the feeling as though Watt doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.
Watt has finished second for the Defensive Player of the Year award voting twice. He was also third in voting during 2019. That caused the Steelers star edge rusher to tweet, “Nothing I’m not used to,” after Garrett won the award last February.
For what it’s worth, Watt ended the 2023 season with more sacks, tackles, tackles for loss, quarterback hits, interceptions and pass defenses than Garrett. The Browns star, though, outperformed Watt in newer analytical statistics.
Both edge rushers had a strong argument to be the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year. Watt’s tweet was likely something the star Steelers edge rusher wanted to use as motivation for 2024. But it’s now clear that Garrett saw the tweet as sour grapes.
Garrett, though, concluded his conversation about Watt on November 19 with a similar sentiment as the Steelers star.
“I’m just going to play the game,” Garrett told reporters. “I don’t play against T.J., he doesn’t play against me. But we’ll have a plan to go out and do what we’re supposed to, win the game and dominate on defense.”
Watt, Garrett Resumes in Steelers-Browns Rivalry
Watt and Garrett can both take over a game at any moment. But overall, Watt has outperformed Garrett in the rivalry matchup, which could be another reason why Steelers fans felt their edge rusher was snubbed at the NFL honors.
In 12 games versus Cleveland, Watt has posted 17 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and 31 quarterback hits. His 1.42 sacks per game average against the Browns is the highest he possesses versus any team in the league.
Last season, Watt had 2 sacks and scored a touchdown in two games versus Cleveland. The Steelers are 9-2-1 against the Browns when Watt plays.
But it’s not as though Garrett hasn’t shown up versus the Steelers. Garrett also had 2 sacks against Pittsburgh last year. Furthermore, he has more career forced fumbles (3) in the rivalry than Watt (0).
In Week 12, Watt and Garrett won’t share the field at the same time. But whichever edge rusher outperforms the other could greatly impact which teams wins the matchup.
