J.J. Watt joined Peyton and Eli Manning on ESPN’s ManningCast for Monday night’s playoff game between the Texans and Steelers.
Watt, of course, played the bulk of his NFL career in Houston, and his brothers, T.J. and Derek, both played in Pittsburgh. During the alternate broadcast, Watt was asked if he’d ever considered joining his brothers on the Steelers in order to get the chance to team up with his siblings. Derek and T.J. were teammates in Pittsburgh from 2020 to ‘22, though they were never able to add J.J. to the mix.
During his ManningCast appearance, J.J. admitted that he was jealous of his brothers for getting to play alongside one another, but revealed just why he never joined the Steelers before retiring in 2022.
“I would’ve loved to (play with my brothers on the Steelers), man. But the thing I always talked about is that T.J. was in the middle of a contract negotiation there, and I wasn’t going to take away any money from his big negotiation that he was going through. I very much would’ve loved it...
“I’m always jealous. They played high school, they played college and they played NFL together. It just seems like the coolest experience ever,” Watt added.
J.J. Watt wanted to team up with his brothers in Pittsburgh 😳
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 13, 2026
"I'm always jealous. They played high school, they played college, and they played NFL together." pic.twitter.com/yVAy8l682z
A defensive line consisting of both T.J. and J.J. Watt would be a true nightmare for opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks. Unfortunately for fans, J.J. was never able to find his way to Pittsburgh, as he didn’t want to interfere with his brother’s contract situation. At the time, T.J. was coming off his rookie contract, and he ended up signing quite a lucrative deal with the organization in 2021––a four-year $112 million pact. He has since re-upped with the team once more on a three-year, $123 million deal which he signed in July of 2025.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as J.J. Watt Reveals Main Reason He Never Teamed Up With His Brothers on the Steelers.
