Steelers' Mike Tomlin Played A Gigantic Role In TJ Watt's Contract Dispute

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that has been talked about constantly throughout the 2025 offseason, and a large reason for that is the amount of turnover on the roster. Many positions are going to look very different in comparison to the 2024 season, and the Steelers found themselves in the center of some very big stories. This included Aaron Rodgers' decision on whether or not he was going to continue his career, and where he was going to play if he was. Another large story was the contract dispute between the franchise and star outside linebacker, TJ Watt, who just recently signed his extension on Thursday.

Watt was entering the final season of his contract in 2025, and it was looking like he was going to holdout of training camp if he did not get the deal that he wanted. Pittsburgh probably wasn't too worried about him missing practices, but the idea of that distraction going on throughout camp and potentially all the way up until the regular season was frightening. Many fans were relieved to see a deal get done, and a large reason it got done was Head Coach Mike Tomlin. 

Team insider Gerry Dulac reported that Tomlin played a major role during an appearance on the DVE Morning Show on Tuesday.

"Mike Tomlin did not want any more 'distractions' heading into training camp," Dulac said. "That's the last one; it's taken care of. Mike Tomlin's feeling all along was, 'Get that deal done. Pay him. Just get the deal done.' He doesn't control the purse strings, but he can certainly push them in a certain direction. Yeah, I think that was definitely part of it. They go into camp not wondering, 'Is TJ going to be here? Is he not going to be there? Is his deal going to get done?' They knew the deal would get done, but they just didn't want a lot of head-butting going on during the process."

Watt inked a three-year extension with the Steelers that is worth a total of $123 million with $108 million guaranteed. The new deal makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league heading into the 2025 season, and that might stay that way as things seem pretty shaky between the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons.

Tomlin doesn't necessarily have any control of the finances of the organization, or what types of contracts are given out. That is entirely dealt with by General Manager Omar Khan and the rest of the front office. However, tensions were already high between the two sides when it came to a new extension as Watt was upset about not being extended prior to the 2024 season. This was made clear after his brother, JJ Watt, went on The Pat McAfee Show and shared that bit of information, stating Pittsburgh made a mistake.

The Steelers would have likely saved money had the franchise extended Watt prior to the 2024 season, but the situation has now been resolved, and Tomlin was a big reason for that.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Needs More Praise As A Player's Coach

Tomlin has been under fire in recent years for the continued lack of playoff success in Pittsburgh. The frustration from the fan base has been completely understandable, but sometimes the fans take too much time noticing the coach's flaws, rather than pointing out what makes him a future Hall of Famer. His players love to suit up for him, as TJ has even said in the past that Tomlin is the only coach he would want to play for. 

Tomlin spoke up during the contract negotiations and the team got a deal done, which probably speaks volumes to the rest of the roster. There is a reason Tomlin has never had a losing season, and that is because his players will always look to perform for him due to how he treats them.

What do you think about the situation reported by Dulac? Let us know in the comments below!

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