The value of the NFL’s best players just keeps rising, and the Watt family has seen it firsthand.
Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history on July 17, signing a three-year, $123 million extension with the Steelers. A former Defensive Player of the Year and four-time first-team All-Pro, it was the expected market value for a player of his caliber, even at 30 years old.
But as CBS Sports pointed out in a graphic that same day, Watt’s third NFL contract alone is nearly worth the same as his brother J.J. Watt’s career earnings over 12 years in the league.
“I swear, if this guy even lets me begin to reach for my wallet at dinner…” quipped the elder Watt on X, formerly known as Twitter.
I swear, if this guy even lets me begin to reach for my wallet at dinner… https://t.co/R52TsWBgYP
J.J. Watt was an elite defender himself, earning a whopping three Defensive Player of the Year awards and five first-team All-Pros over his career. His biggest contract came in 2014: a six-year, $100 million extension from the Texans ahead of his age-24 season with $51.8 million guaranteed.
At the time, his guaranteed money and average yearly salary, $16.6 million, were the highest for a defender in league history. Now, both numbers are less than half of what T.J. Watt received in his 30s.
Of course, the salary cap has grown since 2014. It was $133 million then, per Spotrac — now, it’s more than doubled to $279.2 million in 2025.
The value of the edge rusher position has increased as well, though. J.J. Watt’s biggest-ever salary cap percentage was 9.6% in 2015, per Over the Cap. T.J. Watt’s will be 14.2% in 2026.
Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt just landed a record-setting three-year, $123MM extension, which keeps him under club control through 2028. The contract already looked like a win on paper for Watt, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk passes along a few details highlighting just how far Pittsburgh was willing to go to keep the former Defensive Player of the Year in the fold.
It was previously reported that Watt’s new deal includes $108MM in full guarantees. According to Florio, that figure is comprised of a $40MM signing bonus, a fully-guaranteed 2025 base salary of $4MM, and fully-guaranteed base salaries of $32MM in 2026 and 2027. In other words, Watt secured a whopping three fully-guaranteed seasons of pay, which will obviously make it very difficult for Pittsburgh to move on before the end of the 2027 campaign.
Per OverTheCap.com, Watt will carry a $23.37MM cap hit this season, and that number jumps to $42MM in 2026 and 2027 and tops out at $46.05MM in 2028. From 2026 onward, Watt’s cap charges are projected to account for well over 10% of Pittsburgh’s total cap room, which the club is perhaps willing to stomach since it expects to have a rookie-contract quarterback in the starting lineup as early as Week 1 of the 2026 slate.
Still, if Watt continues to perform at a high level – as his extension plainly anticipates, despite reported misgivings in that regard – it would not be surprising to see the Steelers restructure the deal down the line to create additional cap space. At present, only his 2028 pay, which includes a $15MM roster bonus and a $21.05MM base salary, is non-guaranteed, but the roster bonus does trigger on the third day of the 2028 league year.
The $41MM average annual value of Watt’s extension is a record for non-quarterbacks, as is the $108MM in full guarantees. The same can be said of the early-year cash flow ($76MM within two years, $108MM within three years). The $108MM figure even tops the $100MM in fully-guaranteed money the 49ers ponied up for QB Brock Purdy earlier this year. As compared to fellow premium EDGE talent, Watt’s full guarantees represent 87.8% of his extension value, while Myles Garrett‘s $88.8MM in full guarantees make up just 55.5% of his extension, which is one year longer (h/t TexansCap).
Of course, Watt’s deal will have ramifications beyond his own team. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, who has been seeking a new commitment from Cincinnati for several years, is perhaps the most obvious beneficiary, as he is two months younger than Watt and outpaced him by six sacks in 2024. It is difficult to say whether Hendrickson and the Bengals will be able to resolve their long-standing impasse, but he certainly has no reason to shoot for anything less than a $41MM AAV.
And, as older players get paid at that level, the price tags of elite younger players like Micah Parsons (26) and Aidan Hutchinson (25 in August) will rise even higher.
Looking back on Steelers football, one decade ago.
Can you name a better offseason activity than naming random NFL players from the past? No, no you can’t.
Earlier this year, I solicited some article ideas from BTSC readers, and one of them was a “where are they now” piece on past Steelers. Believe it or not, 2015 was a decade ago, and that felt like a natural spot to look back on from 2025.
In that season, the Steelers finished 10-6 and placed second in the AFC North behind the 12-4 Cincinnati Bengals. However, the Steelers would knock the Bengals out of the Wild Card round (the Martavis Bryant flip catch game) before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos in the Divisional round.
In the first half of this series, we’ll be looking at the major offensive contributors on that team. You can view statistics, full rosters, and more on Pro Football Reference. Here’s what they’re up to now:
QB Ben Roethlisberger (3,938 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns)
Retired from the NFL following the 2021 season.
The Steelers’ all-time leader in just about every passing stat; fifth-most passing yards and eight-most passing touchdowns in NFL history.
RB Le’Veon Bell (556 rushing yards, three touchdowns)
Appeared in just six games in 2015 due to suspension and injury.
Bell’s last season with the Steelers would be 2017. He’d sit out the 2018 season due to a contract dispute before signing with the New York Jets as a free agent in 2019. He then spent time with the Chiefs, Ravens, and Buccaneers, last playing in 2021.
Started releasing rap music in 2018 with “Target.” His latest is the Donald Trump-themed 2025 single “They Mad.” He releases some of his music and various livestreams, including competitive gaming, on his YouTube channel.
WR Antonio Brown (136 catches, 1,834 yards, 10 touchdowns)
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Last played in 2021, ending his career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Was traded from the Steelers to the Raiders in 2019 but never played.
Won a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in the 2020-21 season.
Finished his Steelers career second all-time in most receiving stats behind Hines Ward.
WR Martavis Bryant (50 catches, 765 receiving yards, six touchdowns)
Was suspended the entirety of the 2016 season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
Traded to the Raiders in 2018. He’s since bounced around multiple leagues and teams: the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks, the Indoor Football League’s Massachusetts Pirates, the Fan-Controlled Football League’s FCF Beasts, and the XFL’s Vegas Vipers.
Recently spent time on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad (2023) and the Washington Commanders (August 2024). He’s currently unsigned, but hasn’t retired. He’s 33 years old.
TE Heath Miller (60 catches, 535 receiving yards, two touchdowns)
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
2015 would be Miller’s last season in the NFL. He retired in February of 2016.
This 2020 feature on Miller notes he lives in Virginia with his wife and four children. He stays out of the spotlight: “I’ve never really felt comfortable being the guy with the attention thrust on me and that’s why I don’t really do a lot of interviews or stuff like that.”
Miller, the Steelers’ all-time leader for most tight end statistics, was inducted into the team’s Hall of Honor in 2022.
TE Matt Spaeth (Two catches, 10 receiving yards)
Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images
2015 was also Spaeth’s last NFL season; he’d be released in 2016 with a failed physical.
2015 marked Villanueva’s first time appearing in regular season NFL games after going undrafted in 2010. Over those five years, he served as an Army ranger.
He’d play in the NFL as a starting tackle through 2021, officially retiring in 2022 after a one-and-done year with the Baltimore Ravens.
Last played in 2019; retired in 2020 after playing his entire 11-year career with the Steelers.
He currently hosts the Ramon Foster Steelers Show for DK Pittsburgh Sports, and co-hosts the “Ramon and Will” show for 104.5 The Zone, a radio station in Tennessee.
DeCastro’s last NFL season was 2020. The Steelers cut him in 2021 with a non-football injury designation after six consecutive Pro Bowls.
He’s now an investor in the medical marijuana company Whole Plants LLC, alongside former Steelers Ben Roethlisberger and Bud Dupree. DeCastro was the applicant for the Whole Plants location in Ross Township, Pennsylvania, that was approved in March despite some controversy.
RT Marcus Gilbert (16 starts)
Gilbert played with the Steelers through the 2018 season. He was traded to the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2019 season, but dealt with injuries and never appeared in a game. He retired in 2021.
The TL:DR? In this dead part of the summer, we’re using a random number generator to find a singular play from the Steelers’ 2024, then using it as an excuse to talk about last season and some general football insights.
This week, the random number generator chose the 129th play of the Steelers’ Week 11 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The play was a third quarter second-and-six where the Pittsburgh defense steamrolled a Derrick Henry outside zone run for no gain. Pretty cool, right?
However, last week’s play was very similar — essentially, it came down to defenders winning their individual matchups — and we’ve already gone over Henry zone runs in a past edition.
So, feel free to watch that play on your own time, but I decided to move forward two plays (not one as the next was a false start), and voila — finally something interesting.
The context: Baltimore has the ball on their own 13-yard-line. It’s third and 11. The Steelers are up 15-10 with 15 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Pausing pre-snap, we can see that the Steelers are in their dime package, which means six defensive backs (one more than nickel): two safeties, two outside cornerbacks, and two slot cornerbacks. Given the down and distance, the Steelers are expecting a pass here and choose their personnel accordingly.
Pittsburgh also lines up in an overload front on the right side of the Ravens’ line, with three-quarters of the defensive line on one side of the center. To fill the gaping hole on the other side, Patrick Queen, the one inside linebacker on the field, threatens to blitz over the left guard.
The initial coverage shell is pretty ambiguous here, too. Strong safety Damontae Kazee is playing the deepest and Minkah Fitzpatrick is out of his usual centerfielder role. Could this be a rotated cover 3, or some sort of cover 2 or 4?
Then, the Ravens snap the ball, and the Steelers secondary quickly realigns. Queen sprints backwards into the middle hole while Fitzpatrick moves forward to the hook/curl zone on his side of the field. Now, the cover 2 shell is Kazee and boundary cornerback Joey Porter Jr., presenting the Ravens with an inverted cover 2 look.
You can see the coverage defenders without deep responsibilities form a five-man wall of sorts right at the sticks. They’re fine with anything underneath — just don’t allow a first down.
I added arrows in the screenshot above to show where the Ravens receivers are running. The route concept itself (intermediate out-breakers for the boundary receivers, crossers for the rest) is actually a halfway-decent cover 2 beater. In theory, there’s a hole shot (between the shallow and deep zones) available for both Zay Flowers on the top of the screen and Rashod Bateman on the bottom.
However, Lamar Jackson flushes out of the pocket early despite good protection against the Steelers’ four-man rush and doesn’t have time to make either throw. Nose tackle Keeanu Benton gets some early penetration even though he’s eventually stopped, causing Jackson to bail.
But this is also why disguises on defense can be so helpful — the unorthodox pass rush speeds up Jackson’s internal clock, and the post-snap secondary rotation slows his ability to identify the coverage.
As Jackson breaks out of the pocket right, it looks like T.J. Watt loses contain. However, I think it was supposed to be a delayed stunt with Preston Smith looping to the outside of Watt. Instead, there’s a missed holding call and Smith can’t secure the edge in time.
But the veteran pass rushers don’t panic. Smith takes a wide angle to keep Jackson from breaking upfield, while Watt slows down to prevent any sort of cutback. With Jackson out of the pocket, he’s cut his passing options in half, and the Steelers have five defenders covering just two Ravens receivers.
At this point, Jackson’s only hope is to hold out long enough for someone to get open. Running back Justice Hill (No. 43), coming across the field, actually finds a vacant zone for a split second before Donte Jackson crashes on the route.
However, by then Jackson is busy avoiding Preston Smith, and he’s eventually forced out of bounds by Watt before he can make a throw. Pittsburgh gets the third-down stop.
And because Jackson stepped off the field behind the line of scrimmage, it would count as one of Watt’s 11.5 sacks last season.
The Ravens would punt on the following fourth and 15. The Steelers would eventually win 18-16.
Believe it or not, the Steelers actually did a few creative things on defense in 2024.
What are your thoughts and takeaways on this random Steelers play? Any suggestions for the series? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
Think you can figure out which Steelers player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!
Hey Steelers fans! We’re back for another day of the Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.
The goal of the game is to guess the correct Steelers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.
After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.
My fence is done, Mrs SNW took the picture of the south side of our yard. Right side if you’re facing the house. It’s the side yard, and it’s a pretty steep slope.
What home projects have you been killing the NFL downtime with? Are you gaining, or loosing, like us?
The Redman competition starts Wednesday. Someone might just show in a way to carry them into the lead.
Let us know what you’ve heard, know, or want to know about the Steelers as the week progresses. Just life stuff is welcome as usual.
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Come and join this merry band of Steelers’ faithful for some lively debate about our Steelers, good food, music, and the merits of the odd cold beverage.
Live from not-Delaware, it’s Saturday Night! This week, it’ll be I, Ryland Bickley, not NAS204PSU, bringing you this Saturday Night Open Thread (aka SNOT).
In the spirit of the great work NAS always does with these threads, I’ve attempted to theme the questions this week. Steelers players report to training camp Wednesday, meaning they’re probably planning for their time in the Saint Vincent College dorms through the next few weeks of summer.
For this week’s thread, so will we.
This six pack of questions is here to get the conversation going is below, also let us know what you’re eating/drinking!
The grand training camp entrance. What’s your dream car?
Hanging out in the dorms. What snacks are you packing?
Backs vs. backers. Which Steelers running back/linebacker do you least want to go against in this drill?
Seven shots. Arthur Smith lets you call one play from the two-yard-line. What are you drawing up?
Media availability. Have you ever been in the news?
“Friday Night Lights” practice. What’s the best football-related movie/show/book you’ve ever watched/read?
The Steelers star has yet to make an impact in the biggest games
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced they have inked star edge rusher T.J. Watt to a three-year, $123 million extension, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
It shouldn’t be particularly shocking, given Watt’s track record. Watt holds the Steelers franchise record for career sacks and is the second fastest player in NFL history to reach 100 sacks.
However, the contract was met with vitriol from a large portion of the fanbase, one that’s been conflicted for weeks now.
get TJ watt off my team. he’s never contributed to a playoff win in his life. I have no idea who he’s trying to hold hostage
Fandom excitement aside on the TJ Watt deal getting done.
Dude gotta show up in the last month of the season and playoffs. If you’re getting QB level money you gotta make a QB level impact in the game, all season.
The Steelers’ last playoff win came in 2016. Watt was not on that team. They’ve been to the playoffs five times in his career, and they’ve gone one and done each time. Even Browns EDGE Myles Garrett, who Watt eclipsed in his new contract, has won a playoff game in that span. That was a win over the Steelers in 2021.
In those five games, Watt has amassed just one sack. In a bludgeoning last season against the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round, he didn’t even register a single tackle.
Speaking with the media before the Ravens game, Watt acknowledged the lack of success, calling it “his story.”
“It is what it is,” Watt said. “It’s my story. Since I’ve been here, I haven’t won a playoff game. Been saying it this whole season. You guys know how important this is to me.”
It’s essential to examine the in-depth analytics here, which often reveal Watt being chipped, double-teamed, and consistently the focal point of the opposing offense.
The Steelers’ scheme is also responsible for this, as they have all but refused to get creative and move him around, pass rushing from each side.
At the end of the day, everyone needs to do a better job. Even while getting the attention, you have to find a way to get to the quarterback.
While I understand the fans’ disappointment, this team isn’t even sniffing the playoffs without Watt. Although he’s 31, he’s the greatest pass rusher in team history, and much like the ageless Cameron Heyward, I’d bet on him having a lot left in the tank.
But if it doesn’t result in a playoff win this season, the narrative will continue. And Watt’s story will remain the same.
Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images
Ramsey just missed the top 10 after recording two picks in 17 games with the Miami Dolphins.
Jalen Ramsey is a seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro who has consistently been one of the best corners in football over the last decade.
It’s not a surprise that Ramsey was dealt out of Miami with his relationship with head coach Mike McDaniel strained, but the destination was surprising.
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith for Minkah Fitzpatrick and a day-three pick swap on June 30. The deal sent shockwaves through the NFL and was the first time in over two decades that two All-Pro players were traded for each other.
Ramsey, 30, missed the Pro Bowl for the first time in five years despite playing all 17 games and grabbing two interceptions. Ramsey ranked 17th of 222 corners by PFF and earned an 85.7 run grade, 10th in football. He earned a 71.9 pass grade, good for 39th.
The question numbers are solid, but the question remains: Can Ramsey still play?
Ramsey didn’t crack the top 10. In a bit of a surprise, the veteran corner just missed out after up-and-coming players Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles) and Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks) earned the final two spots.
Fowler included notes from voters who gave constructive criticism of Ramsey’s game.
“He had a down year last year, but he still had flashes of being the gold standard at corner,” one NFL personnel director told ESPN. “His mix of athletic ability/fluidity, speed and movement skills at that size is rare. He can play man or zone coverage, can play inside as a nickel and has the ability to move to free safety if he wanted to.”
Fowler noted that Witherspoon won a tiebreaker with Ramsey for the No. 10 spot after back-to-back Pro Bowls, but that the trade to Pittsburgh “should bolster his Hall of Fame track.”
One AFC evaluator thinks Ramsey is better off at nickel and playing in certain packages. Traditionally an outside corner, Ramsey has played in the slot and could bounce around the field.
Trading Fitzpatrick opens the possibility of Ramsey, or Darius Slay, playing an increased role at safety. The Steelers could also play Ramsey, Elliott, Joey Porter Jr., and DeShon Elliott on the field at the same time and show different looks at opponents.
Ramsey will turn 31 on October 24. Just outside of it is where Ramsey fell.
Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II (Broncos) ranked No. 1 for the second consecutive year. Browns corner Denzel Ward (No. 3) is the only AFC North defender on the list. Derek Stingley Jr. (No. 2 – Texans), Trent McDuffie (No. 4 – Chiefs), and Sauce Gardner (No. 5 – Jets) round out the top five list.
Entering year 15, Heyward looks to continue his dominance.
2024 was a career year for Pittsburgh Steelers standout defensive lineman Cam Heyward, as he totaled eight sacks and was named an all-pro for the first time since the 2021 season. Even at the age of 35, Heyward dominated and was a key contributor again to one of the premier defenses in the NFL. Now, the expectations are even higher for Heyward and the Steelers in 2025 with multiple key additions to the roster.
The only player above the Steelers’ longtime defensive standout was his division rival, Lamar Jackson. Brandon Austin of PFSN backed the staff’s selection of Heyward as the second-best player in the entire NFL with some high praise.
“Even at 36 years old, Cameron Heyward is still showcasing elite defensive line play. He led the league in defensive stops with 47, a testament to his disruptive presence against both the run and pass. Among DTs, he ranked fifth in total pressures (56) and recorded 8.0 sacks.”
“His 12% pressure rate ranked ninth, highlighting his efficiency and relentless motor on every down. Heyward’s impact extended beyond the stat sheet, anchoring a Steelers defense that relied on his veteran leadership and playmaking ability. He tallied 12 quarterback hits (ninth) and recorded 71 total tackles, including 35 solo stops.”
“Heyward’s ability to generate pressure while maintaining gap discipline made him a cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s defensive front. He’s heading into Year 15, but his production and consistency have remained among the NFL’s elite.”
Play of the game: Cam Heyward’s sack on Jayden Daniels to end the 3rd quarter.
Washington was up 6 and on the edge of field goal range to make it a two score game, the sack forced a punt two plays later. They never got back in field goal range again. pic.twitter.com/kiRICbDmcz
Fellow Steelers defenders Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt were listed as the 99th and 27th best players on PFSN’s list, respectively. PFSN based this list largely upon their own “IMPACT” score, which measures the impact each player has on their team. The ranking perfectly encapsulates what kind of season Heyward had for Pittsburgh. Heyward has shown no signs of slowing down and will continue to be one of the premier defensive tackles in the league for the foreseeable future.
