TJ Watt's age and injury concerns spark questions around Steelers extension deal

TJ Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday agreed to a historic three-year, $123 million contract extension

Published on: Jul 18, 2025, 03:05:12 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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TJ Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday agreed to a historic three-year, $123 million contract extension, making the edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, citing sources. The deal has, however, brought up several questions about Watt's age and injury concerns.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrates his sack during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles (AP)

The edge rusher and the Steelers signed the extension after months of uncertainty around his future. The team management was clear - they wanted to keep Watt, but speculation peaked after the Pro Bowl star skipped mandatory minicamp.

The deal ensures $108 million fully guaranteed at signing, and the $41 million average per year tops the $40 million APY, ESPN added.

Concerns around age and injuries

Born October 11, 1994, Watt is 30 years old and will turn 31 during the 2025 season. As he enters his ninth NFL season, his age is a focal point, as edge rushers rarely maintain elite production past their early 30s.

TJ Watt has shown durability, playing all 17 games in 2023 and 2024, but past injuries raise flags. In 2022, a pectoral injury limited him to 10 games (5.5 sacks), and in 2023, a Grade 2 MCL sprain in Week 18 caused him to miss the postseason.

In 2024, reporter Melanie Collins confirmed that Watt had been dealing with an injury to his right thumb. The 30-year-old recorded 11.5 sacks, his lowest in a full season since 2017, with no sacks in his final four games.

At 31, durability questions linger, as analysts like Gary Davenport note Watt’s ‘injury history’ and late-2024 fade could impact long-term value.

“TJ Watt just bent the Steelers over his knee and spanked the living mercy out of them. Highest-paid non-QB ever for a guy who hasn't won a playoff game, has injury concerns, and isn't getting any younger. And last season was the worst of his career. Should've just traded him,” one fan noted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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