Pittsburgh Steelers star edge rusher, TJ Watt has solidified his place as one of the NFL's top players. Despite his remarkable talent, he has faced significant frustration due to perceived unfair treatment from referees and pundits alike. Watt was notably snubbed for the 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, and he's consistently irritated by the lack of holding penalties called against offensive linemen who face him.
Many Steelers fans and analysts believe Watt is held on nearly every play, a sentiment that rings true given that most star pass rushers face similar challenges. However, Watt seems to receive less of the benefit from referees compared to other top pass rushers when it comes to holding calls.
This disparity has left both Watt and Steelers fans perplexed. After a game in 2023, Watt openly speculated that the NFL might have a bias against him, given the lack of favorable calls. He and others believe he’s not receiving fair treatment from the officials.
On Tuesday, former NFL official and current pundit Gene Steratore joined the Randy Baumann Morning Show to shed light on why Watt might be experiencing this unequal treatment from referees.
"There's the phrase, 'They're holding on every play.' Yes, to some extent, they are. Does it rise to the level of a foul? And a lot of times with TJ, just because he is just so good, it's like, 'Yeah, it did rise to the level of a foul again.'"
Steratore explained that holding often occurs on nearly every play, but referees have specific criteria for calling it. He pointed out that Watt's signature rip move is a key factor in why he doesn’t draw many holding penalties.
According to NFL rules, a defensive player using the rip move is less likely to be penalized for holding. Steratore noted that former Steelers star James Harrison faced a similar issue with referees due to this technique.
"James Harrison was hard for me at times because James was low to the ground, his rip move and how he got himself on the edge would be ducking underneath of that tackle," Steratore said. "The truth of it is his technique put him in that space initially."
Watt excels at executing the rip move, a skill that contributes to his frequent holds and explains why many of these infractions go uncalled.
Despite the challenges he faces with officiating, Watt has consistently dominated the league. Over his eight-year NFL career, he has accumulated 98.5 sacks, a number that continues to rise with a sack in both of his 2024 games.
Steelers' TJ Watt Was Told By A Ref That He Made A Mistake
In Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, Watt delivered a standout performance with two strip sacks, though both were negated by penalties. One of these strip sacks showcased Watt’s precision, as he timed the snap perfectly and made an impressive play, only to have it wiped out by an offsides call. Watt’s frustration was evident as he was seen angrily confronting the referee just before halftime, a rare display of his displeasure.
Watt wrapped up the game against the Falcons with a walk-off sack and later revealed that the referee admitted to making a mistake with the offsides call against him. Watt has grown accustomed to facing unfair treatment from officials and critics who attempt to diminish his greatness. Despite this, his ability to torment opposing offensive linemen remains unmatched.
Watt seems to be even more dominant this season, much to the delight of Steelers fans who have watched his impact grow. The Steelers' defense, which has been stellar in the first two weeks, is stacked with talent. If they continue to perform at this high level, Pittsburgh could emerge as a formidable contender in 2024.
