Entering his eighth NFL season, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt has a sense of urgency to win.
It’s well documented how frustrated he is with the lack of a playoff win in his career and knows that time is running short as he pushes 30 years old.
As that star of the Steelers and arguably the face of the franchise, he has a unique opportunity when it comes to making a pitch to outside free agents. That’s something he did this offseason to quarterback Russell Wilson, who said Watt told him to come help the Steelers win, period.
For Watt, who appeared on the “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast from training camp alongside defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi and fellow outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, said that his recruiting pitch to outside free agents is very simple overall.
“It’s easy. There really isn’t much you have to pitch, ’cause Mike T[omlin] is so well known across the league and respected. And the fans, I mean, when we travel everywhere the fans come with us. So it’s just an incredible place to play,” Watt said of his recruiting pitch, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “I tell them that it’s about tradition and we are so close. Since I’ve been here, we haven’t won a playoff game. I’ve talked about that on and on, but I truly feel like we’re so close and I mean, we can’t play forever.
“So the time really is now, trying to recruit guys and guys are excited to come and play here. And I feel like that’s why we have something special brewing, and why Pittsburgh is such a special place to play.”
Pittsburgh is without a doubt a special place to play for more than just the football. Yes, the lack of playoff wins is rather frustrating and a huge sticking point in any conversation that comes up about the Steelers under head coach Mike Tomlin. But the support from the fan base at home and on the road and having that revered head coach from a player perspective is huge.
So, too, is the history of the franchise.
It’s a place people want to come and play, and that showed itself time and time again this offseason as the Steelers were quite busy in free agency under GM Omar Khan.
With a talented roster in place, the Steelers certainly feel close to playoff success. Khan and the front office upgraded at quarterback, finished the offensive line rebuild and added some big names to an already stacked defense. Things look rather solid on paper, which has many – including Watt — feeling that they’re close.
Time will tell this season if they are truly close to playoff success again. But it is good to hear that even in a transition period and a lack of playoff success over nearly the last decade that it’s not hard to get players to want to come to Pittsburgh.
Check out the full episode of “Not Just Football with Cameron Heyward” below.
