When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted T.J. Watt with the 30th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, he was more known as three-time Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt's little brother than anything else. What was soon discovered is that the DPOY gene runs in the family. The youngest of the Watt's, T.J., had a standout career at University of Wisconsin alike his brothers. It didn't take long for this success to transfer over to the NFL, as he made an immediate impact for the black and gold.
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
T.J. Watt photographed with head coach Mike Tomlin and owner Art Rooney II following the 2017 NFL Draft.
T.J. made a splash his rookie year with seven sacks, 13 quarterback hits, one interception, one forced fumble and 54 tackles. Alongside former first-round selection Bud Dupree, the Steelers began to be known for their outside linebacker duo. Following his rookie season, T.J. has become an absolute staple for the Steelers defense and a game-changer any time he's on the field.
Is Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt Still #1?
When T.J. earned Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, it was long overdue. In 2020, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald took home the hardware, and the consensus around the NFL was that T.J. had been snubbed. This only served as motivation for the ferocious linebacker, as he went on to tie the sack record with 22.5 sacks the following year and finally earn the accolade at the NFL Honors.
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Pittsburgh Steelers T.J. Watt accepts the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award at the NFL Honors ceremony.
Every time the Steelers face their divisional opponent, the Cleveland Browns, the comparison of T.J. and Myles Garrett is a major focal point. Garrett was drafted first overall by the Browns in 2017 and like T.J., he's been a force for the defense ever since. The defensive end has too consistently been in the conversation for DPOY, and players around the league were shocked when he wasn't listed as a finalist last season. Instead of Garrett, the finalists for the 2022 DPOY were Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys, Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs and Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers. T.J. was understandably left off of this list having missed the majority of the season with a pectoral injury.
Tuesday, former Steelers players Arthur Moats and Terence Garvin took to their podcast LockerMates, to debate the #1 edge rusher in the NFL. In the conversation, the former teammates compared T.J., Parsons, Bosa and Garrett. All four players are undisputedly at the top of their game. When debating if T.J. is the top edge rusher, Moats didn't hold back.
"If he's healthy, I put T.J. over Myles and Bosa. Parsons is the one for me. Parsons is the one where it kind of is back and forth, but Parsons is young."
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Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys was the unanimous 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Right off the bat, the conversation was cut down to T.J. versus Parsons. Comparing the two is valid. Parsons has been quick to impress during his first two seasons in the NFL. The linebacker was unanimously voted as Defensive Rookie of the Year following a season consisting of 13 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 84 total tackles. Though the stakes were high his second year, he didn't disappoint. During the 2022 NFL season, Parsons earned First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the second consecutive year. Moats continued to debate who trumps the other.
"T.J. has been doing it for a little longer. T.J. got DPOY. So that's kind of why I side with T.J. over Parsons, but I like Parsons over Bosa and Garrett."
Despite ultimately picking T.J., the two had nothing but positives to say about the rest. Being on the list of top edge rushers in the league is no easy feat. Each of the players dominate and make their presence known each game. A direct comparison between two of the four will be clear Week 1 when the Steelers face the 49ers at home. With Bosa as the reigning DPOY and T.J. as the 2021 DPOY, each of them will inevitably feel as though they have something to prove.
Who do you think the DPOY front runners will be this year? Could Alex Highsmith sneak up on the list as well? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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