In 2021, T.J. Watt overruled his agents seeking even more money to finalize a new deal after agonizing contract negotiations. The long-term contract he agreed to last month did not follow talks that were nearly as protracted. But in the end, Watt still went against his agents’ wishes.
Revealing a lighthearted story about the record deal he signed in July that once again made him the NFL’s highest-paid pass rusher after an off-the-grid offseason, Watt was eager to share the news.
“I think it’s just having fun,” he said in a Sunday interview with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Steve Smith. “That’s just a moment in time where you know you’re never going to get back. A moment where it’s so special. It’s such a grind to get a deal done…to be able to announce it on your own.
“My agents didn’t even want me to send it out as soon as I did. But I was like, ‘Screw it, I’m having fun. I want to post this information.’ Just having fun with it, too.”
Just as the national media broke the news of Watt’s new deal, Watt himself shared a photo of him in a Steelers uniform. It didn’t come with a caption, but the photo didn’t need words.
It served as a stark contrast to Watt’s previous Instagram photo, the seven-time Pro Bowler leaving a cryptic April picture of him waving a peace sign while walking off the field. To some, that implied Watt was saying goodbye to the Steelers. He later admitted to trolling the media.
The situation wasn’t nearly as contentious as others around the league. Myles Garrett got his mega-money deal but had a messy trade request to get there. Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parsons are in standoffs with their respective front offices, each missing the first week of camp. Hendrickson has threatened to sit out the entire season. Parsons has requested a trade and offered scathing comments toward Jerry Jones.
Signed through 2028, Watt has a real chance to be a one-helmet player. There’s always the possibility of him pulling a Franco Harris or Mike Webster and playing elsewhere in the swan song of his career. But for now, Watt’s deal is done, and he didn’t want to wait another second to let the football world know.
