It wasn't forever ago that T.J. Watt led the NFL in sacks for the third time. The Pittsburgh Steelers' star outside linebacker — and also the franchise's all-time leading sack-getter — is a lock to reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.
But after a down year by his own standards, many were writing him off, believing he'd been left in the dust by contemporary and now-former longtime divisional rival Myles Garrett, along with younger edge rushers such as Green Bay's Micah Parsons and Houston's Will Anderson Jr.
“I don’t think he really pays attention to what people say about him,” fellow Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig said, per Steelers Now. “He doesn’t really care. He knows who he is. He knows he’s an elite player. He knows that when he steps on the field, nobody can block him. I know that, he knows that, the whole team knows that, the whole league knows that.
"But definitely keep those receipts of everyone saying he’s old and he’s washed; and this, that and the third. Just put the tape on.”
Why might T.J. Watt doubters be punching the air right now?
After one week, Watt is currently tied for the league lead in sacks (2), tackles for loss (3) and interceptions (1).
Did you see that pick-six?
With the Steelers on defense and clinging to a 13-10 lead over the Atlanta Falcons early in the fourth quarter on Sunday, they needed a play. Boy, did Watt give them one. After swimming over a chip block by the tight end, he charged at right tackle Jawaan Taylor.
Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush — pushed into action after Tua Tagovailoa's oblique injury earlier in the week — fired a pass toward standout running back Bijan Robinson, who was running a swing route. Then Watt came out of nowhere, at least from Rush's vantage point.
From point-blank, Watt snared the pass, started running with it and stumbled. Despite falling down, he was able to pop back up and finish off the 35-yard return for a touchdown.
“I’m thinking they’re just running off because he’s gotten tagged off,” Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “I didn’t realize he even scored. What an incredible, incredible play. How do you even think about that? He’s done that a few times, too. He’s getting his hands on the football over the last couple years, but he has an uncanny ability to kind of get his hands there.”
Is T.J. Watt back?
As Herbig alluded to, Steelers teammates never thought he lost a step.
“I saw how they talk about him online,” inside linebacker Patrick Queen said. “And it’s crazy how a guy can be dominant for so long, and then one year he gets hurt and deals with some adversity, and everybody’s trying to turn the page on him.”
If Watt can stay even nearly as productive as he was in Pittsburgh's 20-13 season-opening victory, he'll have a real case for his second Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Award, after earning his first in 2021.
Just watch what you say about him if not. Queen might see.
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