T.J. Watt

T.J. Watt's Biography

Trent Jordan Watt, known widely as T.J. Watt, was born on October 11, 1994, in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Football rapidly became one of his passions; his older brothers, J.J. Watt and Derek Watt, both have enjoyed successful NFL careers. T.J., too, would pursue this path, blossoming into an instrumental figure for the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he plays as a linebacker.

Before his professional career, T.J. impressed at the college level as a Wisconsin Badger. Initially beginning as a tight end, a knee injury in the 2014 season temporarily halted his progress. After a hiatus lasting from October 2012 to September 2015, he made a successful comeback mid-2015, transitioning to a defensive role under the guidance of head coach Paul Chryst.

This switch turned out to be a masterstroke. By the fourth game of his junior season, Watt topped the Big Ten Conference in sacks, earning accolades for his performances, including the Big Ten Player of the Week and the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week Awards.

In the 2016 season, Watt amassed a total of 59 tackles and 11.5 sacks, scored an interception and a defensive touchdown, and received several honors for his sterling play. These included first-team All-American nods by Sports Illustrated and ESPN and second-team accolades from the Associated Press, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports. Capping off an impressive season, he was named first-team All-Big Ten.

Given his impactful achievements, Watt made an early entry into the 2017 NFL draft, forgoing his senior year at Wisconsin. Proving his potential at the NFL Scouting Combine, he excelled across several drills and was generally considered among the top picks in his position. Draft experts projected him as a late first or second round pick.

Living up to expectations, the Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the first round, 30th overall. He immediately made his presence felt in the team’s preseason game against the New York Giants, and by the time of the regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns, he had a starting spot. His rookie season saw him logging 54 combined tackles, 7 pass deflections, 7 sacks, one forced fumble, and an interception in 15 games. This promising start landed him on the PFWA All-Rookie team.

In 2018, Watt further solidified his reputation, earning two AFC Defensive Player of the Week awards and starting in all 16 games, recording 68 combined tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 3 pass deflections, and 13 sacks. By the end of his third season in 2019, he had become a crucial defensive player, netting an AFC-high 14.5 sacks and a league-high eight forced fumbles. He was voted All-Pro and was a finalist for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

In the 2020 season, Watt continued to dominate the field, leading the NFL in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits. Though he narrowly missed out on the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, his teammates honored him with the Team MVP title for the second straight season.

Fulfilling a childhood dream, in 2020, Watt’s older brother Derek also joined the Steelers, marking the first instance of the brothers playing for the same team. Even though this was an exciting development, T.J.’s indomitable spirit didn’t waver, and he kept his eyes on the prize. He entered the 2021 season amidst high expectations after a record-breaking 2020 campaign.

In September 2021, the Steelers rewarded his performances with a contract extension worth over $112 million, the highest for a defensive player in the NFL. Throughout the 2021 season, Watt continued to shine, tallying several multi-sack games and ultimately matching Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record of 22.5, initially set in 2001. He was a finalist for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award four times (from 2019-2021, and again in 2023), winning the prestigious honor in 2021.

Considering all his achievements, T.J. Watt has risen from the shadows of his illustrious footballing family to carve out his own path. Despite facing numerous injuries and setbacks throughout his career, Watt never gave up. Instead, he used these challenges as motivation, pushing himself to become the best player he could be. Today, he is respected not only within his team but across the entire NFL fraternity, a testament to his hard work, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the sport.