Steelers: Art Rooney II prioritizing T.J. Watt extension
By Scott Rogust
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II says the team will do everything in its power to sign T.J. Watt to a contract extension.
A lot has happened with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. They restructured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s contract to lessen his cap hit and managed to bring back top receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on a one-year deal. However, the team did suffer a huge loss on defense in the form of linebacker Bud Dupree, who signed a massive contract with the Tennessee Titans. Dupree’s departure was expected, as the team has a year to lock in edge rusher T.J. Watt, who is due for a huge payday.
During a fan chat on Thursday (via Brooke Pryor of ESPN), Steelers owner Art Rooney II said that the team will do everything in their power to sign Watt to a contract extension.
Art Rooney II asked if they're going to re-sign TJ Watt: "we're certainly going to try. TJ has another year on his contract. We look at him as a key player in our future. I can assure you we're going to do everything we can to keep him on the roster."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) March 25, 2021
Steelers: Pittsburgh looking to sign T.J. Watt to a contract extension
Watt turned out to be one of the biggest steals of the 2017 NFL Draft, as he fell right into the Steelers’ laps with the 30th overall pick. Now, Watt is entering the final year of his rookie contract, where he is set to make $10.1 million.
The linebacker has done well through four years to earn a lucrative contract. This past season, Watt led the league with 15 sacks and 23 tackles for loss, while pressuring the quarterback 61 times (per Pro Football Reference). Overall, Watt has tallied 230 combined tackles (59 for loss), 111 quarterback hits, 49.5 sacks, 25 defended passes, 17 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and four interceptions.
With those numbers in just four NFL seasons, Watt is set to command a Brinks truck-worth of money. According to Spotrac, Watt’s market value could earn him a five-year, $127.4 million contract with an annual salary of $25.4 million.
The Steelers know that Watt will be the most sought-after player next league year if he were to become a free agent. Now, they are officially on the clock to ensure that he stays in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future.
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