T.J Watt reportedly set to retire from football as he narrates.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the 2024-25 season. TJ Watt, on the other hand, made headlines on Thursday when he revealed some details about his potential retirement plans.
When asked about retiring, Watt referred to his brother, JJ, and stated that he “didn’t want to play super long.” According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, the Steelers star has also hinted at not having a long career. However, TJ Watt is unsure when he will retire.
“I’m not sure I want to play forever, but who knows? It is too difficult to say. JJ always maintained he didn’t want to play for too long, but things changed and he ended up playing longer. I won’t know until that moment arrives. I feel wonderful right now, so I’m simply living in the moment. I don’t have forever to play. I’ve always approached the game as right.
TJ Watt signed a four-year $112 million contract with the Steelers back in 2021. He’s due to hit free agency in the 2026 offseason. He’ll be turning 30 years old midway through the season this year. Based on these comments there’s a chance Watt calls it a career at the end of this contract. But nothing is set in stone just yet.
Watt has been a superstar for the Steelers since they selected him in the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s been an absolute monster over the years, accumulating 401 total tackles (107 for a loss), 96.5 sacks, 27 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries, seven interceptions, and one defensive touchdown. TJ Watt won the Defensive Player of the Year award for his efforts in the 2021 season.
In addition, the Steelers changed offensive coordinators after signing Arthur Smith, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach. Although his career as a head coach was unsuccessful, he has shown to be an effective offensive coordinator.
We should expect the Steelers to run the ball often while using short pass plays to take advantage of opposing defenses. That’s certainly the kind of offense Russell Wilson can. Back that up with a solid defense and Pittsburgh could be in the mix for a playoff spot late in the season. At the very least, Mike Tomlin probably won’t allow the team to record a losing record.