Myles Garrett‘s $40 million a year deal turned the defensive market upside down. More players are landing bigger paychecks every single day. Micah Parsons is gunning to get a contract bigger than Garrett’s, becoming the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. But that does little to soothe those on the sidelines. For Steelers linebacker TJ Watt, these deals only remind him of his lack of a new dotted line to sign. And as insiders believe, there’s no progress on that part yet from the Steelers’ front office.
It’s been some time since Mike Tomlin said that he wants TJ to be here. “We’d like him to be here. But certainly not surprised by where we are. We’ve expressed a desire to get the business done. He has as well, and so we’ll continue to work. We’ve been here before.” This is not the first time TJ Watt has fought for a contract. Back in 2021, Watt had a notable “hold-in” before he signed the 4-year, $112 million deal. He attended the camps, but chose not to practise till he got a deal. It was only before the regular season kicked off that he got a new deal. Now, history seems to be repeating itself.
Tom Pelissero recently shared an update on the TJ Watt deal. Pelissero noted that this time, Steel City could get a done deal sooner, before the Steelers hit training camps on 23rd July. As Pelissero put it, “It seems there’s nothing done at this point. But it seems like, given where these teams are, that they’re going to find a way to do something prior to the start of the training camp. I’m not holding my breath for that to get done much before. They’re one of the last teams to report. They report on July 23rd to Latrobe. I’m not holding my breath for that to get done substantially before that.” So it seems like there’s at least one more month before Watt gets the deal that he’s looking for. But what would be the number?
Tom Pelissero with an update on the TJ Watt negotiations: “It seems there’s nothing done at this point. But it seems like, given where these teams are, that they’re going to find a way to do something prior to the start of training camp. I’m not holding my breath for that to get…
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) June 28, 2025
As James Palmer recently reported, sources believe T.J. Watt could command more money than Myles Garrett in his next deal. On the NFL Insider Notebook, Palmer said, “I’m hearing there’s a chance Watt gets past $40 [million / season]… He has every right to ask for it.” Palmer pointed to just how tight the race has been between the two elite edge rushers. Both posted 40 solo tackles last season. Garrett notched 14 sacks to Watt’s 11.5 — but Watt forced six fumbles compared to Garrett’s three. The numbers are basically neck-and-neck. The only thing missing now? Watt’s name on a new, record-breaking contract.
And it’s not just league insiders who are backing Watt. Even new Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is getting behind his teammate. Rodgers hasn’t been shy about voicing support for the defensive cornerstone and what he means to Pittsburgh’s identity. If the front office wants to build something sustainable — and keep Rodgers happy — locking up Watt might be the easiest call they make all offseason.
Aaron Rodgers firmly set in TJ Watt’s corner
This year, T.J. Watt didn’t go with his usual ‘hold-in’ tactic. He skipped OTAs and minicamp entirely. What used to be a quiet protest has now turned into a full-blown holdout… And the front office still hasn’t made any progress on a new deal. But for Watt navigating this contract stalemate, the biggest vote of confidence arrived in the form of Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, AR8 has already started to influence the franchise.
On a recent edition of the Pat McAfee Show, Aaron Rodgers noted Watt’s leadership skills and 7x Pro Bowler pedigree worthy of a Hall of Fame. He also expressed his excitement to play alongside him. As Rodgers put it, “I think that’s the thing that’s really exciting about PIttsburgh, is the built-in leadership that already exists there. Once we get our Hall of Fame outside rush-backer signed, you’re talking about another guy who’s a leader – not just by his example, but by his words.” Back when Nick Herbig joined in 2023, it was revealed Watt had been mentoring him already for two years. Even the new draft addition, Jack Sawyer, was all-in to learn from the veteran, “I’m excited to come in and learn from [Watt] and see how he goes to work.”
Watt isn’t just the Steelers’ pass-rush engine; he’s their standard-setter. And when a future Hall of Fame quarterback like A-Rod is already co-signing his value, without even sharing a snap, the message is loud and clear. The locker room knows it. The front office hears it. Now it’s just about putting the money where the respect already is.
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