Following Pittsburgh’s 24-10 loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals, OLB T.J. Watt was visibly frustrated while talking to the media. He managed to get in on a sack of QB Kyler Murray but also battled various injuries throughout the game, appearing in a great deal of pain holding his lower leg.
Watt addressed the play on which he appeared to get hurt, stating that the NFL must have something against him when it comes to calling holding penalties with opposing offensive linemen getting away with no-calls on a weekly basis. Watt’s teammate OLB Alex Highsmith was asked by the media on Monday if he feels he’s treated the same way on no-calls and if he had any other thoughts regarding Watt’s comments.
“He gets held almost every play,” Highsmith said to the media via video from Steelers Live’s X page. “That’s just how I feel. And he’s out there rushing like crazy. And so, I can sense his frustration, but he’s the guy who is ball to the wall every single play. When he doesn’t get some of those calls that he should get, it’s definitely frustrating.”
Watt is possibly the best pass rusher in football, nearly impossible for a single offensive lineman to handle one-on-one. He’s made opposing blockers look like turnstiles at times with his speed to the quarterback, having a nasty get off coupled with great effort to turn the corner into the pocket. Watt also has a plethora of moves to beat opposing blockers, being a threat to go for three-plus sacks in nearly any contest, like he did against the San Francisco 49ers earlier this season.
Being one of the most dominant players in football, Watt can single-handedly wreck a game on nearly any play. Seeing as the NFL has made more of a push for more yards and points, an argument could be made that opposing offenses could be getting away with holding more often against Watt than others due to the name he carries and the caliber of player he is.
When you’re the best at your craft, you often get special treatment. Look at QB Tom Brady, who managed to get penalties called all the time for late hits on the quarterback, as well as QB Patrick Mahomes. He has become the league’s poster boy and can get extra protection from any hits that could potentially be deemed late. As for Watt, he’s playing on a curve, meaning that he may not get your basic holding call because he wins with such regularity. Watt’s still managed to register 14 sacks on the season, being one of the most productive pass rushers in football. Regardless, the league will take notice of his comments from this Sunday, likely either having officiating crews take a closer look at his game, to see if he is drawing more penalties than called, or straight up fine him for his short but direct remarks.
