Pittsburgh Steelers’ outside linebacker T.J. Watt has been named the team’s 2020. This is the second year in a row that Watt has been voted the team MVP by his teammates. It’s a well-deserved and expected award for the former first-round draft pick out of Wisconsin.
Watt is a prime candidate to win the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award with a league leading 15 sacks heading into Week 17. He is also on pace to break the Steelers single season sack record of 16 set by outside linebacker James Harrison in 2008. He is the third player in the NFL to record at least 15 sacks, 23 tackles for loss and 40 quarterback hits in the last 15 seasons. Watt’s older brother, Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (2012, 2014 and 2015) and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (2018) also accomplished the feat and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Watt now becomes the sixth player in Steelers history to win the team MVP award in consecutive seasons, joining Harrison (2007,2008, Hines Ward (2002, 2003), Levon Kirkland (1998, 1999), Jerome Bettis (1996, 1997) and Terry Bradshaw (1977, 1978).
Watt might not play in the Steelers regular season finale against the Cleveland Browns as the team is likely to hold him out of that contest to preserve him for the playoff. He is easily the most consistent and most productive player the Steelers have on defense.
Entering Week 17, Watt has registered 41 quarterback hits, 23 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and an interception.
