The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some of the best defenders in NFL history on their teams throughout the years, and TJ Watt is another elite player that can be added to that list. He has been one of the best pass rushers ever since being selected back in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He is widely considered one of the most dominant game-wreckers in the league, and he proves it nearly every week. He is often disrespected and snubbed from major accolades, and he doesn't get much love from the officials, either.
Watt has led the league in sacks three separate times since joining the Steelers, which is something no other defender has ever accomplished in NFL history. Watt is one of the best on the field, but he also studies ahead of each opponent. He learns their weaknesses, tendencies, and anything else he can use to his advantage once the opening kick flies in the air. These tips and tricks, he is secretive about, and he doesn't even share them with the officials. He spoke about this on the DVE Morning Show.
"It's one of those things where sometimes you want to tell the officials, but sometimes you don't know if you can trust the officials. Not saying they're not trustworthy guys, but you also don't want to tell them all your tips and tricks because you don't know if they're gonna tell the other guys or not. I like to keep everything to myself and hopefully it sorts itself out. Sometimes it doesn't, which is alright."
The star defender said this when he was asked about his offsides penalty from Pittsburgh's Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. It caused quite the stir, as Watt initially timed the snap perfectly and was able to sack Kirk Cousins and force the fumble. He was called offsides and the play didn't count, but the official told him at halftime that the officiating crew had made a mistake.
Watt said that he had found a tendency with Atlanta's center, which allowed him to tell when he was going to snap the ball. That's how he was able to time the snap so well that it made it look like he jumped offsides. The topic of telling officials about specific tricks came up because Watt could have spoken to the officiating crew before the game, and let them know that he as a good idea when the ball will be snapped. He may look offsides, but he's just getting a good jump on the snap.
The defender doesn't seem to like the officials very much, and he definitely doesn't trust them enough to let them in on his secrets. The officials could easily go over to the other team and let it slip that Watt said something, then a big chunk of his game planning would be for nothing.
In all, Watt had two sacks taken off of the board thanks to penalties during the Steelers' win against the Falcons. He should have had three total, but at the end of the day, the stat sheet just said one. It's not like it matters much. Watt proved in 2023 that he can put up whatever incredible numbers he wants, and the NFL will still find a way to push its own agenda when it comes to individual accolades.
Steelers' TJ Watt Effects The Game In More Ways Than One
Watt's sack numbers are incredible, and he has even made some incredible plays in pass coverage throughout his career. The glorious side of his on-field production comes from drawing holds. These are a big deal, as it pushes an offense back 10 yards and are usually considered drive killers. Officials don't always give him the calls though. After a game during the 2023 season, Watt came out and suggested that the NFL has something against him due to the continued trend of him not getting calls and the constant disrespect he receives.
