New Stat Proves Steelers' TJ Watt Still Has Tremendous Value, Even Without Record-Breaking Sack Totals

When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected pass rusher TJ Watt, the younger brother of former NFL superstar JJ Watt, there was optimism that coming from the same family as one of the greatest pass rushers ever might translate to success in Pittsburgh. It didn't take long for that optimism to be validated. During his rookie campaign in 2017, Watt made it obvious that he was playing with a level of maturity few rookies possessed. He finished his first season with seven sacks and an interception, but his most memorable performance came in his NFL debut against the Cleveland Browns. Watt became the first rookie in 30 years to record two sacks and an interception in his inaugural regular-season game. It didn't take long for the rest of the league to recognize the greatness of the young defender.

Fast forward to the 2026 season, and Watt is now 31 years old and coming off a couple "average" years by the incredibly high standards he has established. In 2021, Watt recorded 22.5 sacks, and after an injury-shortened 2022 campaign, he bounced back with 19 sacks in 2023. In 2024, Watt started the season looking like his usual self and was firmly in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation before an injury forced him to miss time. He returned and battled through the issue, but he wasn't quite the dominant player fans had become accustomed to seeing. In 2025, some pundits suggested that opposing offenses had begun to figure him out, even as the Steelers rewarded him with a massive contract extension.

The concern now is that perhaps Watt is human after all, and the punishment his body has endured from carrying the Steelers' defense for much of his career is finally beginning to catch up with him. It also didn't help that the organization accidentally punctured his lung during the most critical stretch of the 2025 season. Now, Watt enters 2026 looking to remind the football world that he is far from finished. With 115 career sacks, many are expecting the four-time First-Team All-Pro to have a major bounce-back season in Patrick Graham's new defense. Despite Watt's declining production, Steelers insider Chris Carter recently uncovered an eye-opening number that illustrates just how valuable Watt remains via his chat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"One way to show Watt's impact is to look at how his being on the field has been a boost for Nick Herbig," Carter said. "SumerSports has Herbig's pressure rate without Watt on the field (the amount of pressures divided by defensive snaps) at 3.53%, and Herbig's pressure rate with Watt on the field at 7.28%."

It also serves as a reminder that Nick Herbig's $100 million contract likely wouldn't have materialized without Watt and Alex Highsmith consistently drawing the attention of opposing offenses.

Steelers Enter 2026 With The Perfect Edge Rusher Setup

There's been plenty of debate about whether the Steelers should trade Highsmith and what Watt's future looks like now that he's on the other side of 30. Herbig is just 24 years old and recently received a huge payday, but it's important to remember that Watt drawing double teams frees up Herbig to capitalize on one-on-one opportunities.

So when Steelers fans criticize Watt or say he's making too much money for his production, it's still important to remember the impact he has beyond the box score. Watt often takes on the difficult assignments, allowing others around him to shine because of it.

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