Last week, T.J. Watt posted a picture of himself giving a peace sign on his Instagram story. There’s a good chance that it didn’t mean anything in particular. However, that hasn’t stopped people from wondering why it was posted and questioning whether it has anything to do with his future in Pittsburgh.
Since the topic is emerging, there’s become a larger focus on Watt and his contract negotiations recently. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly wonders whether Aaron Rodgers’ looming decision could be part of the reason for the delay in Watt’s eventual contract extension.
“I think the hang-up is, they [Steelers] wanna see what Aaron Rodgers is gonna get,” Kaboly said, speaking on 93.7 The Fan on Monday. “And whatever is left, they might say, okay, T.J., this is it.”
Watt is heading into the final year of his current deal. There’s little doubt that his career in Pittsburgh will continue past the 2025 season. There aren’t any reasons to believe otherwise, at this point. However, that doesn’t mean everything is all fine and dandy at the moment.
Other top edge rushers around the league have signed their own contract extensions this offseason. Maxx Crosby got one from the Raiders and Myles Garrett recently got a massive extension from the Browns. Garrett had publicly requested a trade prior to the deal, and while Crosby didn’t officially request one, there were plenty of trade rumors regarding both players before they landed their extensions. Interestingly with Watt, he still doesn’t have an extension, and there aren’t any trade rumors attached to him.
Kaboly thinks Rodgers could be the hangup, and that idea does make sense. The Steelers have been waiting on Rodgers for quite a while. They’ve moved on with their offseason, interviewing and meeting with plenty of draft prospects. However, when it comes to the financial aspect of things, Rodgers is holding them up.
At the age of 41, Rodgers isn’t getting some massive, multi-year deal. There’s even a chance the two sides have come to an agreement on the contract parameters. However, until Rodgers makes his decision, Pittsburgh is in the dark.
The Steelers shouldn’t be free from blame. They waited to give Watt an extension, and they’re quite literally going to be paying the price for that whenever Watt gets his deal. Their lack of action with the star defender is the reason so many are speculating on such a simple Instagram post. The Steelers’ ineptitude at QB has also led them to wait on a 41-year-old to make a major life decision.
In all likelihood, both will be in Pittsburgh, and everything will end up fine for the Steelers. However, until Rodgers makes his decision, this saga probably won’t come to an end.
