The Pittsburgh Steelers have come up short in the playoffs for the third season in a row as the group lost to the Houston Texans on Monday night. The game was close throughout most of the contest, but Pittsburgh ended up losing by a score of 30-6. It was another disappointing defeat in the postseason, which is something that the fan base has grown accustomed to over the last several years as the franchise has not won a playoff game in nearly a decade. A standout defender like TJ Watt has been with the franchise since 2017 and has never gotten to taste a postseason victory.
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Steelers' TJ Watt stands on the field during a road game against the Houston Texans during the 2023 season.
Pittsburgh's defense played well throughout the majority of the game against Houston, but the offense could not get anything going despite the defense taking the ball away from the Texans three times.
The offense could barely move the ball down the field and Pittsburgh was only able to muster up two field goals in the contest. Watt spoke to the media after the loss where he was visibly frustrated, and he was asked about whether or not the organization has brought in the right pieces to keep the team trending upward in the future.
"Not enough right now." Watt said.
The outside linebacker gave plenty of stern answers when asked about how he felt after this loss, and he was fairly blunt. He has let his frustration show about the lack of playoff success in recent years, and that trend continued after losing to Houston.
TJ Watt said everything felt great heading into the game, but again the same result #Steelers pic.twitter.com/XE3I0os1Yi
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) January 13, 2026
His comments makes it seem as if he knows the organization needs to do more to help this team succeed, but that hasn't happened. The veteran is one of the better defenders of his generation; however, he is longing for success when it matter most.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan looks on as the team sets up in front of fans to workout at the annual Friday Night Lights training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
General Manager Omar Khan did a lot during the 2025 offseason to bring in new talent to Pittsburgh, however a lot of those moves included players that are past their prime. It also included bringing in a 42-year old to play quarterback as the franchise is still stuck in quarterback purgatory after not having a proper backup plan for Ben Roethlisberger's retirement back in 2021. The franchise has been hurting at the most important position in the game, and it has held the team back.
It is always going to be hard to find postseason success without a franchise quarterback, and that might be what is at the top of Watt's mind when responding to a question like that. The position is up in the air again entering the 2026 offseason, as the only quarterbacks under contract for the 2026 season are Mason Rudolph and Will Howard.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers rookie Will Howard looks to pass during rookie minicamp in 2025.
Steelers Are Without A Doubt Consistently Hurt At The Quarterback Position
Aaron Rodgers played well during the 2025 season, but the teams that have the most success in the league currently are the ones that have players at the position that can change the game and make plays with their legs.
Watt was clear that the franchise does not have enough of the right pieces in place moving forward, and while he didn't specify, it's hard to imagine he wasn't talking about quarterback. Rodgers did all he could within the offense in 2025, but the Steelers need to find the future at the position. That could mean giving Howard a shot, or finding another player during the 2026 NFL Draft.
What did you think about Watt's stern comments? Let us know in the comments below!
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