Somehow, Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt did not win the Defensive Player of the Year award after his incredible 2023 season. He finished the season with a league-leading 19 sacks, 68 total tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, 36 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (including one returned for a touchdown), one interception, and eight passes knocked down.
Yet Watt still finished second in the DPOY voting to Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett. Watt was named First Team All-Pro and to his sixth straight Pro Bowl. So, at least he did not get blanked from the awards. Will Watt have a chance to win his second DPOY award in 2024? Per DraftKings, Watt is the co-favorite to win the award with Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons.
“Oh, I think it’s going to be T.J. Watt all the time,” Rich Eisen said on the latest episode of The Rich Eisen Show after co-host Chris Brockman declared it would be either Watt or Parsons winning the award during the Overreaction Monday segment. “I’m a big T.J. Watt guy, as you know… Listen, if T.J. Watt did what he did last year again, it’ll be tough to deny him.”
Watt has been a consistent disruptor during his seven-year career, finishing with less than ten sacks only twice. One of those seasons was his rookie season; the second was when he missed seven games due to injury. He’s led the NFL in sacks more than he’s had single-digit sack seasons (three to two).
So if Watt can lead the league in sacks again while showing his ability to be disruptive in other areas, it’s easy to understand why Eisen is throwing his support behind Watt. Parsons will prove to be tough, though.
Parsons has been in the league for three years and has had at least 13 sacks in all three seasons. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 with 13 sacks. He has finished in the top three of the DPOY voting all three seasons. He’s been First-Team All-Pro twice and Second-Team All-Pro once and made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons. He also had 14 sacks in 2023, along with 18 tackles for a loss.
Yet Parsons has broken up eight career passes, the same number Watt had in 2023 alone. Watt offers the ability to affect the game, whether he’s rushing the passer or dropping back in coverage. Not many players offer that ability in the league, which should mean something when it comes to being the DPOY.
You can watch the entire Overreaction Monday video below, including some thoughts on Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes:
