For the seventh-straight season, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt has cracked the NFL’s yearly Top 100 list. On the 2025 list, Watt ranked 11th, as noted by a video uploaded by the NFL’s YouTube channel Thursday evening.
Here are his year-by-year rankings, Watt first making the list in 2019 and reaching a peak of sixth in 2022.
2018 – Unranked
2019 – 93rd
2020 – 25th
2021 – 9th
2022 – 6th
2023 – 27th
2024 – 8th
2025 – 11th
“Year in and year out, one of the most feared guys off the edge,” Miami Dolphins linebacker Matthew Judon said in the video accompanying Watt’s ranking. “It’s better when he’s not out there.”
Watt is coming off another productive season, though one that ended on a sour note with a quiet finish. He recorded 61 tackles (19 TFL), 27 QB hits, 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, four pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries in 2024. Slowed by ankle and thumb injuries down the stretch, Watt failed to record a sack in his final three regular-season games and playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens. It’s the longest drought of his eight-year career.
Despite that, Watt still led the NFL in forced fumbles while his sacks ranked eighth. He was named to his seventh Pro Bowl, named second-team All-Pro, and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He lost out to Denver Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II.
“When you talk about best defensive player in the league, I think he has to be your No. 1 player,” teammate Patrick Queen said.
One week before training camp, Watt agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2028, at the time becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league at $41 million per season. He received $108 million fully guaranteed. Selected by Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, Watt will attempt to finish his career as a one-helmet player.
Watt will look to return to elite form in 2025 and again challenge for the NFL’s sack title. Pittsburgh will count on him to be an anchor its defense, drawing attention from every offense to free up EDGE Alex Highsmith and the Steelers’ defensive line.
“His hands, his ability to bend, his ability to drop in zone coverage and make plays on the ball,” New York Giants QB Jameis Winston said. “He’s just a very elite talent.”
Watt is the fourth Steeler to make the NFL’s Top 100. DL Cam Heyward ranked No. 83 while LB Patrick Queen slotted in at No. 75 and CB Jalen Ramsey No. 66. The NFL Top 100 is voted on by players.
