Chalk up 2024 as another year where Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt is in the running for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
This week, The 33rd Team listed their midseason awards and Watt won the award. At least, a share of it. He wasn’t the outright winner, tying with Green Bay Packers S Xavier McKinney.
“Meanwhile, Watt continues to be one of the league’s most dominant pass rushers, racking up 6.5 sacks to go along with four forced fumbles, tied for the most in the league,” wrote Tyler Brooke.
Both Watt and McKinney have had great seasons, with McKinney having six interceptions, allowing only nine completions, and allowing a QB rating of only 42.4 when targeted according to Pro Football Reference. Those are elite numbers and are deserving to be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
Watt, on the other hand, has 33 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. As he always has, he has taken over games. This year is more evident than ever before how much attention he is getting. His 6.5 sacks through eight games is impressive but low by Watt’s lofty standards. The reason is that teams are paying so much attention to him and selling out to stop him. Despite this, Watt is still producing, and when he isn’t getting sacks, he is creating turnovers like the two forced fumbles he notched against the Las Vegas Raiders.
It’s fair for both McKinney and Watt to be currently splitting the award. Watt has been deserving of the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023, but only won it in 2021. He will be looking to finally get his much deserved second, but to do that he’ll need to increase his sack numbers. As last year showed, sacks don’t mean everything, but if Watt can finish in the top-three in sacks (he’s currently seventh) that will help the cause.
Even if Watt doesn’t win NFL Defensive Player of the Year, it’s obvious how big of an impact he has on the Steelers. Despite dealing with injuries to fellow EDGE rushers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, Watt was still able to anchor the pass rush in their absence and help the Steelers get out to a 6-2 record. He is the Steelers Defensive Player of the Year, just like every year, and if keeps up this level of play, the Steelers could do the one thing Watt’s yet to experience. A playoff win and run.
