T.J. Watt is in the record books. Watt has now tied James Harrison’s record for career sacks as a Pittsburgh Steeler. With his takedown of San Francisco 49ers’ QB Brock Purdy, Watt now has 80.5 for his career, equaling Harrison’s mark.
The sack occurred late in the third quarter. And Watt didn’t just take Purdy down. He took the ball away, recovered by the Steelers, as they try to battle back from a 27-7 deficit.
It was Watt’s third sack of the day and his second forced fumble. Here’s a look at the play.
Watt, the Steelers’ first-round pick of 2017, is on a clear Hall of Fame track. As a rookie, he posted seven sacks before hitting double-digits in 2018, finishing with 13 and making his first Pro Bowl. He led the NFL in sacks in 2020 with 15.5 before tying the official single-season record the following year with 22.5. He was named the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year.
Now, Watt has tied the top spot in just the seventh season of his career. He entered the year tied for fourth place and didn’t even lead active Steelers, trailing Cam Heyward by one. But Watt is capable of putting up sacks in bunches and has done so to start this season.
