The Pittsburgh Steelers and T.J. Watt have agreed to a three-year, $123 million extension, making the star edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history for the second time in his career. The deal includes $108 million fully guaranteed at signing, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
With an average annual value of $41 million, Watt’s new contract surpasses the top market deals secured earlier this offseason by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase ($40.25 million) and Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett ($40 million).
The agreement concludes a lengthy negotiation that led to Watt, who turns 31 in October, sitting out the team’s mandatory minicamp in June. He is now expected to report to training camp at St. Vincent College on Tuesday.
Securing their defensive cornerstone resolves a major uncertainty for a Steelers organization that aggressively retooled its roster by signing quarterback Aaron Rodgers and trading for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and wide receiver DK Metcalf. General manager Omar Khan had previously expressed confidence in reaching a deal, stating in March, “I’m hopeful T.J. will finish his career here.” Watt’s teammates were also strong advocates, with defensive captain Cameron Heyward vowing to personally intervene with management to prevent any potential trade.
This negotiation mirrors Watt’s last contract discussion in 2021, when a four-year, $112 million deal was not finalized until days before the regular-season opener.
The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year has led the league in sacks in three of his eight seasons and boasts an NFL-best 73.5 sacks over the past five years. Despite his consistent dominance, Watt’s production declined during the Steelers’ five-game losing streak to end the 2024 season, where he recorded just two sacks. He later acknowledged the need to evolve his game to remain a top threat.
“I want to be an impact player,” Watt said in January. “I don’t want to be schemed out of games. I want to be able to deliver the football… and it wasn’t a good enough year for myself when it comes to that.”
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