Pittsburgh Steelers superstar outside linebacker, TJ Watt should be a lock to win the NFL's Defensive Player Of The Year Award in 2023 as he led the league in sacks and and was the biggest game-wrecker on the defensive side of the football in the league. However, players like Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons somehow have better odds to win the award, despite clearly having worse seasons. The NFL seemingly has an agenda to push in favor of Garrett, but one former Steelers rival thinks the award should go to Watt and it isn't close.
Philip G. Pavely / USA Today Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt's health has been a huge boost to the 2023 Steelers chances at success.
Steelers' TJ Watt Praised By Takeo Spikes, Picked To Win DPOY
A lot of figures in the media have spoken out about the current race for Defensive Player Of The Year, with the majority seemingly choosing Garrett for some reason. Former NFL linebacker Takeo Spikes, who spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills, recently spoke out about why the award should be Watt's. Spikes went on his podcast, The Behind The Mask Podcast, to discuss NFL superlatives for 2023, which is when he went on his rant about how good Watt has been and why he deserves the award.
"I wanna tell you about this other guy, who is just dominant. He a fool, that boy TJ Watt. TJ Watt is a fool with it bro. TJ Watt's ability, he plays both. We put a lot of stock, and rightfully so, when it comes to third down and getting sacks and getting off the field. Or the trifecta, get a sack, cause a fumble, recover fumble. TJ Watt is a guy that checks every box on the stat sheet. He doesn't get enough credit for his ability to play the run, and his ability to play the pass at a high level."
Spikes was an All-Pro and made two Pro Bowls in his NFL career, so he is credible when it comes to evaluating NFL talent on defense. He clearly sees the value Watt provides when it comes to stopping the run, and the pass. Even though Watt is an edge rusher, he defends the pass in more ways than just rushing the quarterback. He occasionally drops into coverage, and he is always looking to make a play on the ball at the line of scrimmage.
Associated Press
Steelers' TJ Watt walks off the field in Week 7 with another splash play and victory.
During the 2023 regular season, Watt had an interception and eight passes defensed. He has done this his entire career, as he has seven interceptions and a whopping 45 passes defensed. As an edge rusher, this is extremely impressive. For comparison, Garrett only has three passes defensed in 2023 and has zero career interceptions since entering the league at the same time as Watt in 2017.
Spikes began to speak about how what Watt is doing on the 21st ranked defense in the NFL is impressive, and it shouldn't be held against Watt when it comes to winning the award. Being on a defense ranked closer to the bottom of the league than the top makes what Watt is doing more impressive. Spikes brought this up because a lot of the people who believe Garrett deserves the award use the argument of Garrett playing for the league's best defense in the Cleveland Browns.
"I gotta give it to him. Oftentimes we see so many players become prey or fall victim to the politics of the game. Oh well, you guys are not winning. Or your defense is not the number one defense in the NFL. That sh*t doesn't even matter. When you turn that tape on, who do you say we gotta stop, we gotta get more than a hat on this guy right here because he is disruptive. If we don't, he's gonna stop the flow of what we do. And that's TJ Watt."
Spikes is saying what every Steelers fan is thinking. There is no way Watt should not win this award. Watt did play one more game than Garrett, but he did record more sacks, tackles, tackles for loss, interceptions, passes defensed, quarterback hits, fumble recoveries, and touchdowns. The only statistical category he didn't clearly win over Garrett was forced fumbles, and both players were tied at four.
Ron Schwane / AP
Steelers' Mason Rudolph absorbs a glancing blow from his own helmet from Myles Garrett.
The NFL will probably wind up giving the award to Garrett. They have an agenda to push. They made it clear he was the favorite earlier this season when the NFL account on X changed their cover photo to a picture of Garrett and made their bio a statement about Garrett possibly winning Defensive Player Of The Year. Regardless of this, Watt is more deserving of the award. He has been the better player this year, and Spikes agrees.
Do you agree with Spikes' comments? Let us know in the comments below!
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