Every summer is a big one for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but there’s even more on the line this time around. Coming off consecutive 10-win seasons, simply making it to the postseason isn’t good enough. With Aaron Rodgers in at quarterback and some great talent elsewhere on the roster, the franchise expects to set a championship tone at training camp.
Luckily for them, superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt will be in attendance. The former first-round pick had a long wait, but his reps and the team finally came to terms on a record-setting contract extension prior to the start of camp. Now, things are back to normal and Watt’s presence will have a tremendous impact.
Apparently, Watt is amped up for a grueling camp. On a July 21 appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” his brother J.J. gave an inside peek at T.J.’s mindset.
J.J. Watt Says Brother T.J. Is ‘Really Excited’ for Training Camp
First and foremost, Watt is proud of his brother for becoming one of football’s highest-paid players.
“I’m happy for him, man,” Watt said. “He’s excited. He’s extremely excited. It’s a very rare thing in today’s NFL, so it’s really special. He’s earned it, he’s deserved it, and I couldn’t be more proud for him.”
More importantly, despite getting a hefty payday, the younger Watt is beyond ready to get to work.
“I mean, he’s in a great spot,” Watt said. “I know he feels extremely good. He’s been training his [expletive] off. He’s in a good spot [and] he’s really excited about camp, he’s looking forward to being back with the boys. It’s going to be great.”
Watt being prepared to hit the ground running is tremendous news for the Steelers. Even at the age of 30, he remains a premier player. He’s currently on a Pro Bowl streak of seven years and has made either first- or second-team All-Pro in five of those seasons. A year ago, Watt played in all 17 regular-season games and logged 11.5 sacks.
The Steelers’ hope is Watt ages well, fights off injuries and is worth the money. He counts against the salary cap for $23.4 million this year, according to Over the Cap, but those figures spike in 2026 and 2027 ($42M) before rising to just over $46M in 2028. There’s a path to a potential out in that final year, but it’d mean something went wrong along the way.
Steelers’ Defense Looking to Remain Great in 2025
The Steelers’ offense is receiving plenty of buzz, and deservedly so. Rodgers is a future Hall of Fame player. That side of the ball will determine the ultimate ceiling of this iteration of the team. With that said, Teryl Austin’s defense should be considered just as often.
After ranking sixth in scoring in 2023 and eighth a year ago, expectations are once again high. Advanced metrics are also painting a picture of this being a very good unit. Per SumerSports, the Steelers ranked 10th in EPA/play on defense last season. Not only is Watt back and readier than ever, but he has a rejuvenated Cameron Heyward and exciting rookie Derrick Harmon also on the front line.
At the second level of the defense, linebacker Patrick Queen is viewed by his peers as one of the best players in the NFL. Even in what he viewed as a down year, he managed to record 129 tackles. In the secondary, Minkah Fitzpatrick is out but Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey and Juan Thornhill are in.
With that in mind, it seems fitting that Watt is excited for a summer in Latrobe, PA.
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