{"id":55045,"date":"2025-06-11T02:30:06","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T02:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=55045"},"modified":"2025-06-11T02:30:06","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T02:30:06","slug":"breaking-pittsburgh-steelers-star-edge-rusher-tj-watt-is-officially-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=55045","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Pittsburgh Steelers Star Edge Rusher TJ Watt Is Officially Done.."},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2333367\" src=\"https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25061569-1-1024x563.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25061569-1-150x82.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25061569-1-595x327.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25061569-1-768x422.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25061569-1-1024x563.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25061569-1-1536x845.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25061569-1-2048x1126.jpg 2048w\" alt=\"TJ Watt in uniform\" width=\"1024\" height=\"563\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>TJ Watt (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>TJ Watt, who is entering the final year of a four-year $112 million contract, has been absent from OTAs as he campaigns for a new deal.<\/p>\n<p>Now, he just stepped things up a notch.<\/p>\n<p>The former Defensive Player of the Year previously had the record for the highest-paid contract at his position when he signed his current deal in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Without a new extension, he\u2019ll make $21.05 million on salary and cost $30.4 million total on the cap.<\/p>\n<p>He wants more.<\/p>\n<p>According to a new report, the\u00a0Pittsburgh Steelers\u00a0will not have their star player in attendance at mandatory minicamp this week, as TJ Watt plans to hold out.<\/p>\n<p>Watt is not expected to be at mandatory minicamp this week, which begins on June 10 and runs through June 12.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=reddawg77089&amp;dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1932419289534906412&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalprosports.com%2Fnfl%2Fpittsburgh-steelers-star-edge-rusher-tj-watt-is-officially-done%2F&amp;sessionId=3d0bbfc9cbcf1cd242b1be002436c903f1527902&amp;siteScreenName=totalprosports&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1932419289534906412\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>This portion of the offseason program is no longer voluntary, so Watt, who wasn\u2019t present at the non-mandatory offseason workouts, will be subject to fines if he doesn\u2019t show up.<\/p>\n<p>The 30-year-old is entering his ninth season in the league and remains one of the game\u2019s best defensive players. In 2024, he totaled 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles.<\/p>\n<p>It goes without saying how huge he is for the team and their defense. Over the years, he has led the league in sacks a record three times and owns four First-Team All-Pro honors to go with his 2021 DPOY.<\/p>\n<p>There is no question that Pittsburgh wants to keep him here and keep him happy.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-steelers-must-pay-tj-watt\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Steelers Must Pay TJ Watt<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2248008\" src=\"https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2194150943-1-1024x563.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2194150943-1-150x82.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2194150943-1-595x327.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2194150943-1-768x422.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2194150943-1-1024x563.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2194150943-1-1536x845.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.totalprosports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2194150943-1-2048x1126.jpg 2048w\" alt=\"TJ Watt in uniform\" width=\"1024\" height=\"563\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">TJ Watt (Photo by Scott Taetsch\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Since the conclusion of the 2025\u00a0NFL\u00a0Draft, all of the buzz surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers has been about\u00a0Aaron Rodgers. The 41-year-old quarterback has since signed a deal.<\/p>\n<p>One major storyline getting lost in the shuffle is the contract talks between the Steelers and TJ Watt.<\/p>\n<p>That has now taken center stage since Watt has not shown up to mandatory minicamp.<\/p>\n<p>Since signing his last deal just before the start of the 2021 season, Watt led the league in sacks twice while earning First-Team All-Pro honors two times and being named the AP Defensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n<p>If the Steelers plan to compete this year, they must sign Watt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TJ Watt (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) TJ Watt, who is entering the final year of a four-year $112 million contract, has been absent from OTAs as he campaigns&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":55043,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - 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