T.J. Watt is officially the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history once more after coming to terms with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a 3 year, $123M contract extension.
Watt will earn $41M in average annual value on his new deal, eclipsing the previous record of $40.25M per season that Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase will earn. The 30 year old’s deal will feature $108M in fully guaranteed money, and ends a months long standoff between his camp and Steelers front office.
Watt had skipped the team’s mandatory mini-camp in June, and was at risk of holding out from the club’s upcoming training camp which kicks off on Tuesday.
The 2021 NFL defensive player of the year has amassed 73.5 sacks over the last 5 seasons, which is tops in the league during that period. After tying the NFL single season record with 22.5 sacks in 2021, he once again led the league in sacks in 2023. While he “only” put up 11.5 sacks last season, he did manage to lead the league in forced fumbles with 6 on the year.
Watt will now rejoin a Steelers roster which features several new faces including QB Aaron Rodgers, WR DK Metcalf, and CB Jalen Ramsey. The Steelers kick off their training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania next week.
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.