Steelers Extending TJ Watt "Not A Simple Matter" As Superstar Awaits New Deal

The Pittsburgh Steelers have made a ton of headlines throughout the 2025 offseason, and that has mainly been due to things happening on the offensive side of the ball. The quarterback situation is still up in the air with the franchise consistently being connected to four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers, and two big moves involving wide receivers have kept other things on the roster in the shadows. One of those things is the looming contract extension for star outside linebacker TJ Watt, which has not been talked about enough throughout the offseason due to the rest of the issues on the roster.

Watt is entering the final year of his deal in 2025, and it seems fairly clear that he will not play without an extension. His brother has been outspoken about how a deal should have been done during the 2024 offseason, and now the Steelers have to compete with the other contracts that have gotten done for edge rushers around the league. This includes Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby, who each signed record-breaking deals with their respective teams.

Bob Labriola, a writer for the Steelers, recently hosted a Q&A with fans on the team's official website. He was asked about a Watt extension, and why a deal has not been agreed to yet.

"Patience," Labriola wrote. "Signing a superstar such as TJ Watt to a contract extension is not a simple matter, and so it's going to take time. Those kinds of things usually take place during the summer, and we're not even to Memorial Day yet."

Historically, Pittsburgh usually gets extensions done late in the summer, right around training camp. This should probably be expected for Watt, although the Steelers should feel a little rushed. They already got beat by the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders who reset the market with Garrett and Crosby, while new deals also loom for Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson.

Pittsburgh would not have to worry about what else is going on around the league had the organization gotten a deal done in 2024, or if a deal was worked on earlier in the 2025 offseason. There is no question that Watt deserves an extension, but now Pittsburgh has to pay him an exorbitant amount of money. Garrett is currently the league's highest paid edge rusher after signing a four-year deal worth $160 million, and Watt probably wants to out-earn his positional rival.

The edge rusher deserves the big pay day, although he is coming off of a rough end to the 2024 season. He was pretty banged up at the end of the year, and he was still well in the race for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award. There is no reason to expect Watt's play to drop off in 2025, and if he enters the season fully healthy, he should return to his dominant form that fans are expecting.

Steelers' TJ Watt Likely Won't Be In Attendance For Organized Team Activities (OTAs)

With Watt's extension still being up in the air, it is unlikely the defensive star shows up for OTAs at the end of May. He may also skip out on mandatory minicamp, although he could show up and not participate in order to avoid receiving a fine. It is important to note that Watt also had his first child during the 2025 offseason, which could also play a part in him wanting to spend more time at home before the season gets underway.

The organization wants Watt to be a one-helmet player, and there is no reason to doubt an extension is forthcoming. The Steelers always get contractual business done in August, so fans shouldn't panic quite yet.

What do you think about a potential extension for Watt? Let us know in the comments below!

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