​The last season proved unusually uncharacteristic for T.J. Watt by the standards fans have come to expect from him, and Steelers supporters are hoping the veteran edge rusher can quickly bounce back to his dominant form. Yet ESPN’s latest position rankings have only deepened concerns about his outlook. Watt slid from No. 2 to seventh among edge defenders, trailing the likes of Houston Texans’ Danielle Hunter, Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, Houston Texans’ Will Anderson Jr., Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons, and Los Angeles Rams’ Myles Garrett.
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler recently published an article in which he shared what an NFL executive thinks about Watt. “Definitely in decline,” an AFC executive told Fowler. “He’s still very good. But some of the younger players have surpassed him.” That assessment marks a sharp shift for Watt, who has won the league sack title three times in his career and had held ESPN’s No. 2 spot in each of the previous two seasons. Last season, in 14 games, Watt logged 7 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 19 quarterback hits—numbers well below the lofty standard he has set in recent years.
The Steel City remains hopeful, however, because Watt has a history of rebounding from tough stretches. Fowler’s conversation also touched on injuries affecting parts of Watt’s game. “He can win with his high motor and his flair for the big play, but the burst and get-off aren’t the same as they were due to lower-body injuries,” an NFL personnel evaluator told Fowler. Watt also missed three late-season games in 2025 after a partially collapsed lung occurred during a routine dry-needling session at the Steelers’ facility.
Beyond on-field performance, contract concerns loom. Before the 2025 season began, Pittsburgh signed Watt to a three-year, $123 million extension, with $108 million guaranteed. The deal starts in 2026 and leaves Watt with a $42 million cap hit in each of the next two seasons. With Watt turning 32 in October, many around the league view the contract as a significant gamble. If the Steelers decide to part ways with him next offseason, the dead cap charge would be $52 million, a sum that makes an exit financially imprudent and increasingly complex over time. The Steelers could consider restructuring the deal, but such a move would come with its own set of challenges.
So, the team will be hoping Watt regains the level that once made him one of football’s most feared defenders. Yet even that objective may be difficult to attain, particularly as he is expected to shoulder a larger portion of the load in a scheme that will rely more heavily on his veteran presence and leadership. As Watt enters a pivotal period of his career, the Steelers will need him to recapture the prime form that defined his legacy while navigating the realities of age, injuries, and a contract that will continue to draw scrutiny.