The Pittsburgh Steelers won 10 of their first 13 games in 2024, marking the best start for the Black and Gold since their 2020 11-0 start with Ben Roethlisberger under center. Unfortunately, the Steelers' back-end of last season was a brutal stretch which ultimately stripped any hopes of a division title and home playoff game. Both sides of the ball struggled late last year, but the defense, who got off to such a hot start, really began to slow down, especially once TJ Watt initially suffered an ankle injury.
Watt enters the 2025 season on the final year of his current contract with Pittsburgh, and he's made it clear to the organization that he is ready for an extension before the season is under way. In 2021, just before Week 1, Watt signed a four-year contract extension worth $112 million with $80 million guaranteed. With the Steelers beginning Organized Team Activities (OTAs) as soon as next week, insiders will be sure to keep a close eye on the situation with Watt.
The recent contract signings by other star edge rushers around the league, like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby, only causes more potential problems for the Steelers, which is why many were pushing them to sign Watt before their deals were done. Trey Hendrickson is also looking to get paid, but the Cincinnati Bengals are in no rush to do so, apparently.
Before signing his extension in 2021, Watt engaged in a "hold-in" during training camp and preseason, which many are hoping he does not repeat this offseason. On Friday, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly was asked what he will first be looking for next week during OTAs, and his first response surrounded the status of Watt.
"Well, first what you have to do is take attendance, make sure TJ Watt is there. He's the only one that could possibly have a contract issue," Kaboly said on Friday morning. "See what he's participating in, try to get a feel if he's doing the hold-in or whatnot. He might talk. He may not."
Watt will now likely be in demand for around $40 million per year after the Garrett and Crosby contracts were signed, and it's in the team's best interest to get the deal done with Watt before Hendrickson and Micah Parsons get a chance to sign for even more money. Watt will especially want to be earning as much as or more than his rival that plays for the Cleveland Browns, who requested a trade stating his desire was to win before signing the deal which made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Previously, Kaboly threw out a guess that the Steelers would give Watt a three-year extension worth $117 million with the first two years fully guaranteed. Watt posted a picture of himself on his Instagram story last month in which he is showing the "peace" sign. That alarmed many fans within the Steel City due to how cryptic it appeared. Watt and his brother have been as vocal as possible about working on a contract extension, but the Steelers may wait to do so until the end of the offseason, like they did in 2021.
Steelers' Super Bowl Window With TJ Watt And Defensive Superstars Drawing Thinner
It's one thing to not reach a Super Bowl over a certain amount of time as a franchise, but to go eight straight seasons without a playoff win while having a defense that has Watt, Cam Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick is utterly underwhelming and a total disappointment. Neither Watt or Fitzpatrick even have a playoff win under their belts as Steelers players, and a defense like this should ultimately be competing for Super Bowls.
Obviously, the offense has had several issues and limitations since Roethlisberger retired. However, when the Steelers have snuck their way into the postseason, the defensive performances have been extremely poor. The Steelers' chance to win a Super Bowl with this particular defensive group is closing, especially with Heyward entering the final stages of his career.
