From an outsider’s perspective, the intensity with which Pittsburgh Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt operates can be a bit off-putting.
You see the scowl on game days, the hardened jaw, and the fire burning in his eyes. There’s a real edge to him, one that is all about football and doing whatever it takes to win games.
For linebacker Patrick Queen, he saw that same scowl and intensity from afar the last four years as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. Seeing that from Watt, Queen thought Watt wasn’t a nice guy and was always uptight and mean.
But once he became his teammate this offseason, signing a three-year, $41 million contract, Queen quickly realized that wasn’t the case with Watt off the field. In an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio’s “Movin The Chains” with hosts Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller, Queen described what it’s like being Watt’s teammate.
“From seeing T.J. from the outside view was just like, I don’t think he’s like a nice guy. Like, I think he’s just always uptight and stuff,” Queen said, according to audio via SiriusXM. “But getting around him and stuff, he’s just like the most nice guy you’ll ever meet and stuff.”
That tends to be the general belief when it comes to Watt, mainly because the only time you really see him is when he’s on the field in his helmet, with that scowl and intensity burning in his eyes as he tries to stare a hole through his opponents, thinking two or three moves ahead on the field.
But off the field, in the locker room, and behind closed doors, that intensity disappears, and Watt becomes a fun-loving, nice, outgoing teammate.
Queen isn’t the first person to talk about Watt behind the scenes. Back in 2022, team captain Cameron Heyward praised Watt for his growth and maturity off the field, morphing himself into a true leader for the Black and Gold.
“T.J.’s said it before, he was more of a quieter guy when he first got here,” Heyward told reporters as shared by Steelers Live. “But as I get older and he starts to grow, I like seeing that. One day down the road, T.J.’s gonna have this [team], and it’s gonna be in good hands.”
“He’s all about the team. He’s started to encompass, just more bringing guys together.”
That nurturing, welcoming ability of Watt has been noticeable. He’s stepped up in that aspect and become a great leader for the Steelers, shedding that outward-facing image on game days to become a great person behind the scenes.
As Heyward said in 2022, Watt is all about the team. He does whatever he can to win and help build a welcoming yet demanding environment.
Those preconceived notions Queen had coming in of Watt weren’t exactly wrong, based off of on-the-field examples. But now that he’s with him daily in training camp and really getting to know him, he’s understanding just what makes Watt tick and is building a strong relationship with him overall.
