Voters of the Associated Press defensive player of the year may not think so, but T.J. Watt is the best in the NFL. And he deserves to be paid accordingly.
Watt led the league in multiple categories including sacks (15), tackles for loss (23) and quarterback hits (41). His 53 total tackles were second in the NFL among linebackers. He also forced two fumbles and had seven passes defended.
Given that Tuesday was Watt’s first 2021 offseason press conference, of course, the topic of his contract came up. And his response was short, sweet and classy.
“With respect to the process, I’m not going to be talking about any contract stuff today,” Watt said with a smile.
As far as negotiations go, there’s a long time between now and Sept. 12. Though it’s possible the Steelers sign him to an extension before the regular season kicks off, it’s more likely Watt will play on his fifth-year option worth $10.089 million (5.4 percent of cap).
