TJ Watt skips the Steelers in the contract negotiations. Enters the year of the final contract for Pittsburgh’s Eye Extension Generation Defence Star.
Sometimes silence is greater than any bag celebration. As the Pittsburgh Steelers gather for the OTA, TJ Watt, the absence of their defensive cornerstone, speaks volume. There are no statements. Social media won’t fly around. Empty locker poses one question: what’s next? Watt has entered the final year of a deal that once made him the highest-paid defender in football, but now he is quietly watching the market change under his feet. The gap between past control and future compensation has narrowed, and as the Steelers plan their next chapter, they must ask themselves: How do you cherish the face of the franchise?
#Steelers TJ Watt has no OTA
Watt wants to extend the contract #Let’s go pic.twitter.com/8ldi3qcmub
– NFL Rumors (@nflrums) May 28, 2025
The contract clock is etched in the shadows
TJ Watt’s decision to skip voluntary sessions in Pittsburgh this week may seem routine on the surface. After all, it’s the offseason. Veterans have previously skipped OTAs. However, I feel that this absence is different. I feel the timing. the purpose. Watt’s four years, a $112 million extension signed in 2021 — once reset the defence market. Now it’s late. Watt’s current $21 million salary looks increasingly outdated as Miles Garrett subtracts $40 million a year in Cleveland.
TJ Watt Appreciation Post.
The Steelers need to sign this guy a deal as soon as possible! ⏰#nfl #Steelers
pic.twitter.com/pgbuejygln– Standard (@thestandard412) May 19, 2025
Still, this is not about responsiveness. It’s about perception. Eight years later, Watt became more than just a threat to the quarterback. He is the engine of Steelers’ identity. His 108 career sacks, a league-leading total in three seasons, and the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year Award are testament to his consistency and craft. This isn’t just a linebacker who wants leverage. It is a leader who ensures that his legacy and values are respected in modern games.
Numbers are important, but existence is even more important
Watt’s absence reminds Pittsburgh of something deeper than the dollar. How important is he to this pulsation of defense? Even in “down year” by his standards (11.5 bags and 61 tackles), he remained an entity that changed the game plan and sloping field. When he turns 31 this fall, the argument is not whether he can still play, but the time to lock the units built into his image.
The Steelers are conservatives famous for their contract extensions and now find themselves staring at the changing market and looming deadlines. A transaction will take place – that seems likely. But there will be a lot to say about how it will be done and when Pittsburgh plans to ride in the back half of Watt’s Prime. In the locker room, his belief in returning home is unshakable. Teammates like Alex Highsmith aren’t just hoping he will stay – they’re hoping for it. “He’s not going anywhere,” Highsmith said.
JJ Watt on Pat McAfee’s TJ Watt deal: “Ownership and the front office clearly treat this like a business, but you wouldn’t like it when players are treating it like a business. #Steelerspic.twitter.com/fps18g1yic
– Steelers Depot7⃣ (@steelersdepot) May 28, 2025
A bond that goes beyond business and runs deep
Watt’s absence from the OTA may be headline material, but the important story is something Pittsburgh has written with him for nearly a decade. This is not a movement divorce. It is a negotiation between legacy and value. Watt has been entrenched in the franchise culture just like any player since Troy Polamal and James Harrison. His work ethic, commitment, and his role in guiding young defenses reflects players who cannot calculate value on a spreadsheet alone.
Still, business becomes business. Whether Watt returns in a deal made before training camp or extends into the season, the Steelers and their stars are on a shared path. For now, the locker is sitting in the sky. However, the belief that autumn is coming becomes stronger, and Issue 90 returns, chasing after the quarterback and a final, massive contract to match his undeniable values.
