An inside look into past T.J. Watt negotiations might provide a window into the difficulty of getting a deal done this summer. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves in similar positions four years ago as Watt sought a long-term deal to make him the NFL’s highest-paid pass rusher. Joining 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday, CBS Sports reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala offered insight into how testy things got.
“Here’s what the disconnect is,” Kinkhabwala told hosts Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller. “And this is what happened the last time around in these negotiations. T.J. Watt was openly told, ‘You’re fortunate to be a Steeler.’ And his response was, ‘You’re fortunate to have me.’”
Perhaps Pittsburgh didn’t use exactly that language, but that’s the message Kinkhabwala was sent to Watt’s side. It took months for both sides to get a deal done, ending in a $112 million extension inked three days before the start of the regular season. Reportedly, Watt was the catalyst to getting the deal done after growing frustrated with his own agents as they attempted to squeeze out every dollar in the deal. Watt went on to have the best season of his career, tying the NFL sack record and winning Defensive Player of the Year.
Kinkhabwala detailed what the Steelers’ comments of Watt being “fortunate” meant.
“The Steelers’ attitude, the Steelers’ mindset, and you see this from so many fans too,” she said. “Is that it is such a privilege to be in this uniform, to wear this helmet, that therefore you should take a hometown discount just because you get to play for one of these cornerstone trademark organizations.”
Pittsburgh is one of the NFL’s most-revered franchises, with six Super Bowl rings and a stable and competitive organization. The Steelers’ 3-4 system, which has existed and been relatively unchanged since the 1980s, has also helped Watt flourish, a perfect system fit. But clearly, Watt has put in plenty of work to maximize his talent. Both sides benefit from the other, and Watt’s value to the team is obvious. Pittsburgh simply doesn’t win without him.
Big contracts like Watt’s can get messy. That’s not just true in Pittsburgh but around the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens got into the mud with QB Lamar Jackson in 2023, going so far as to place the non-exclusive franchise tag on him. A deal eventually got done. The Cincinnati Bengals went back and forth with WR Ja’Marr Chase before an offseason deal was struck in March.
All’s well that ends well. The best thing both sides can do is not needle the other with reminders of how important they are. Productively hammering out the details of the contract is the path to an agreement, one that is still likely to get done before September 7.
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