There is no question that the most important position on the football field is quarterback. The best teams have the best quarterbacks while teams with mediocre-to-bad quarterbacks are simply fighting for playoff berths. But quarterback isn’t the only important position. Edge rushers can be some of the most influential players, and Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt is one of the best.
So is Watt one of the most valuable non-quarterbacks in the league? VSiN hosted a poll on Thursday with Watt, Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill, Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, and San Francisco 49ers DL Nick Bosa. Former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi weighed in on the poll where Watt trailed only Hill and gave his thoughts on Watt.
“Look at the record of the Steelers when Watt plays and when he doesn’t,” Lombardi said on Thursday’s episode of The Lombardi Line via VSiN’s YouTube channel. “I mean, they’re a different defense. He’s relentless, he can play the run. They can play their nickel front with him in the game, they can play a base front with him in the game.”
First, there is something quite amusing about a poll about the most impactful non-quarterbacks in the league having two defensive players but not the Defensive Player of the Year, Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett. Even former Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald talked up Watt during this offseason as being the most dominant defensive player in the league.
The stats back it up, certainly. Watt has played 104 career regular-season games since the Steelers selected him 30th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. He has 96.5 sacks, 198 quarterback hits, 107 tackles for a loss, 401 total tackles, seven interceptions, 45 passes knocked down, 27 forced fumbles, and 10 fumble recoveries with one returned for a touchdown.
Watt has led the league in sacks in three of the last four seasons, including a career-high 22.5 sacks in 2021. He’s got one of the best cases in the entire league for being the most valuable non-quarterback. It certainly seems like Lombardi agrees.
