On the field, it’s very clear what leads to Pittsburgh Steelers’ All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt’s success. He’s relentless at everything he does on every rep, whether that’s chasing the ball carrier from the backside or refusing to give up on a pass rush rep despite being double- or triple-teamed.
That mentality carries over in the offseason, where Watt puts in a ton of work with his trainer, Brad Arnett, at NX Level Athletics in Waukesha, Wisconsin, becoming the league’s most feared pass rusher each and every season.
Coming off of his first NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and his third straight spot on the NFL’s First Team All-Pro list, Watt isn’t slowing down anytime soon in the offseason despite reaching individual highs. The key to that mentality is his overall attention to details within his workouts, and avoiding redundancy, which can slow anyone down.
Speaking with reporters Thursday inside the Steelers’ locker room at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, Watt talked about his offseason training regimen, which has him geared up to defend his NFL DPOY.
“I always go back to Wisconsin. I always train in Waukesha County with my trainer, Brad Arnett, at NX Level, and, I always tell people they can come watch and work out. It’s very football specific,” Watt said to reporters, according to video via the Steelers’ official YouTube page. “You don’t see me just bench pressing every day, squatting every day. It’s all to be the best football player that I can possibly be.
“It may look boring, but a lot of people get bored with little details and that’s how you be successful,” Watt added. “You just have to not get so caught up in the redundancy. You have to understand why you’re doing all these little things, cause if you’re not doing all the little details, someone out there is, and I want to be the guy that continues to get better. And in order to do that, you have to do all those little things.”
Doing the little things, and doing them right has largely led to Watt’s immediate success in the NFL. That attention to detail has unleashed some impressive pass rush moves overall for a guy who was rather raw coming out of Wisconsin as a pass rusher, having switched to the position from tight end during his time in school, eventually working his way into a first-round pick by the Steelers.
Despite all his success on the field, Watt isn’t going to stop working away from it, which is why he returns home each offseason to work with Arnett, who also trains his brothers, J.J. and Derek. That accountability helps drive Watt, making him the star that he is today.
