Pro Football Focus released its 2024 All-Pro teams, and both Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt and DL Cameron Heyward made the cut for PFF’s first-team All-Pro. It could mirror the AP All-Pro teams when those are released later this week, as both Watt and Heyward have had impressive seasons and are worthy of being recognized among the best at their positions. K Chris Boswell also was recognized by PFF but on its second team behind Dallas Cowboys K Brandon Aubrey
Watt and Myles Garrett were named as the two EDGE defenders on the first team. The two beat out Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson, both of whom were named to the second team. Heyward and Chris Jones were the two interior defenders who made it, edging out Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence.
“At 35 years old, Heyward delivered one of the best seasons of his career in 2024. He earned a 79.6 PFF run-defense grade and an 87.2 PFF pass-rushing grade, finishing the regular season with 56 total pressures,” Gordon McGuinness wrote.
Heyward was elite in multiple facets, and one of the most impressive parts of his season was his 11 passes defensed, including three in Pittsburgh’s regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, which came with him battling the flu. Heyward’s ability to tip passes and bat balls down was unparalleled this season, and he continues to impress even as he gets older.
The 2024 season wasn’t a gaudy one for Watt regarding sacks relative to what he’s put up in the past, as he finished with just 11.5. But he also had six forced fumbles, and PFF was impressed with his work as a run defender. He graded out with a 91.4 run-defense grade to go along with a 90.1 pass-rush grade.
“T.J. Watt’s raw stats — 53 total pressures and [11.5] sacks — might not stand out by his lofty standards. However, he set a career-high in terms of his overall PFF grade, earning PFF grades above 90.0 in both run defense and as a pass rusher,” McGuinness wrote.
Watt and Heyward are both deserving of first-team honors, but Boswell was too – he finished as the NFL’s scoring leader and went an incredible 41-of-44 on field goals this season. Aubrey went 40-of-47 and was 14-of-17 from at least 50 yards out, while Boswell was 13-of-15 from 50 yards or longer. There was no explanation for Aubrey’s placement ahead of Boswell, but it feels like a snub to put him on the second team given that he had the better season and was a key piece for a playoff team. We’ll see if Boswell gets first-team honors on the AP All-Pro team, as he deserves.
