"What Does He Have Left?": Steelers Veteran Under Intense Fire With Doubts In The Air

The Pittsburgh Steelers have no interest in rebuilding. Owner Art Rooney II has made that abundantly clear, as have the moves the front office made in 2026 free agency. The organization's leadership seems obsessed with getting its veteran players a Super Bowl ring, which is very commendable to a degree. However, at some point, the franchise needs to be thinking about the future. It appears as if that won't happen just yet, with the overall expectation being the return of Aaron Rodgers. He, along with other aging players, will give it their all to try and make a historic run.

One of the issues for the Steelers in recent years has been the inconsistency on the defensive side of the ball. The unit has often been the NFL's highest-paid, but hasn't always put it together week-in and week-out during the regular season. Some attribute this to the age of many of the players, such as Cam Heyward and TJ Watt.

Pittsburgh took another step in the loyalty direction when it was reported that Heyward had signed a new two-year deal that is likely to keep him with the organization through 2027. Additionally, the same commitment was made to Watt — albeit more lucrative, in the 2025 offseason. The duo still plays at a high level, but some aren't sold on the idea of continuing to invest in them.

During a recent analysis of the Steelers, top NFL insider and analyst, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, pointed out that the resignation of Mike Tomlin seemed to signal a restructure was coming in Pittsburgh. However, after the franchise's moves in free agency, the front office remains fully committed to winning. Breer laid out several of the recent decisions, and Watt's presence came up specifically.

"Bringing Cam Heyward back, trading for Michael Pittman, signing Rico Dowdle, like all point in that direction. They all point in the, 'No, we're going to do this again,'" Breer said. "What does TJ Watt have left at this point? Like, they doubled down on him. I think most teams that played again them would tell you they were more concerned with Alex Highsmith, and this isn't a shot at TJ Watt, but like that's just sort of what it's become."

Watt played in 14 games throughout the 2025 season, totaling just seven sacks. This was tied for the second-least in a year during his storied career. He did have a few game-changing plays, but it seems as if the general consensus out there is that he is not worth what the team is paying him. He's also under contract through the 2028; however, there is a potential out after the 2027 campaign.

Watt has meant so much to the franchise, so it's hard to believe that an organization as loyal as Pittsburgh would move on from the talented pass rusher. With that said, he is being double-teamed and/or chipped on a consistent basis. The new coaching staff is going to have to come up with creative ways to get him free so that he can prove that he still has plenty left in the tank.

Some can argue that the Steelers should never have given him another massive extension, but that ship has sailed. The team is committed to him, and the 2026 season will be a very big one for him to prove individuals like Breer wrong.

Steelers' Defense Should Look Different Under New Regime

Patrick Graham has a bunch of talent as his disposal. Fans will be hoping to seem some new creative schemes that bring out the best in the unit. Towards the end of Tomlin's tenure, there were plenty of games that ended in disappointment, and while the offense has taken a lot of heat, the defense deserves some as well. Players like Watt will face plenty of pressure moving forward, and Graham will be tasked with changing the narrative around the collective.

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