Star Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt has made his first public comments since inking a contract extension with the team last week.
Watt signed a three-year, $123 million extension with Pittsburgh that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, at least in terms of annual average.
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Watt, who reported to training camp on Wednesday along with the rest of the team, said he’s relieved that the extension is finally done and there won’t be any distractions as the Steelers ascend on Latrobe.
“I just wanted the deal to get done and obviously I’m happy it got done before training camp just to be able to be here to eliminate potential distractions and just worry about football,” Watt said, per Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
“It’s hard to fathom. It’s an insane life that I live… the money side of it, it’s hard to wrap my head around it,” Watt added on being the highest-paid defensive player, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Watt also said he plans on taking his teammates out to Sharkey’s, and joked that he’ll be picking up the tab moving forward.
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“I’m gonna go to Sharkey’s sometime with the guys and get some wings,” Watt said. “I’ll be picking up the check for quite some time. I got no problem with that.”
In what has been a very busy offseason for the Steelers, Watt’s contract extension was the last cloud hanging over the team. But with that out of the way, Pittsburgh can focus on preparing for the 2025 campaign.
The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, which was one season before Watt joined the team as a first-round pick in 2017.
Pittsburgh is hoping that the addition of Aaron Rodgers will be the thing to get them over the hump, but Watt and the defense are obviously going to play a massive role, also.
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