{"id":183034,"date":"2025-07-05T09:26:16","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T09:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/183034\/"},"modified":"2025-07-05T09:26:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T09:26:16","slug":"insider-sheds-light-on-steelers-past-intense-contract-negotiations-with-t-j-watt-youre-fortunate-to-have-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/183034\/","title":{"rendered":"Insider Sheds Light on Steelers\u2019 Past Intense Contract Negotiations with T.J. Watt: \u2018You\u2019re Fortunate to Have Me\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

During a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan<\/a>, CBS Sports insider Aditi Kinkhabwala revealed some interesting details on the last time T.J. Watt had a contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021. To say the least, thing were heated.<\/p>\n

\u201cT.J. Watt was openly told, \u2018You\u2019re fortunate to be a Steeler,’\u201d Kinkhabwala said. \u201cAnd his response was, \u2018You\u2019re fortunate to have me.\u2019 The Steelers\u2019 attitude, the Steelers\u2019 mindset \u2014 and you see this from so many fans too \u2014 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Watt ultimately signed a four-year, $112 million deal in 2021 that averaged $28 million per year at the time. The deal wasn\u2019t reached until Sept. 9, four days before the season opener.<\/p>\n

Kinkhabwala said there\u2019s a \u201cdisconnect\u201d between Watt and the Steelers, similar to what happened in 2021.<\/p>\n

\"Pittsburgh<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt during practice on Dec. 19, 2024. \u2014 Ed Thompson \/ Steelers Now<\/p>\n

NFL insider Jeremy Fowler revealed on ESPN\u2019s Get Up<\/a> that Watt is miffed the organization is giving other players pay increases. He\u2019s wondering when will he get his share.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Watt appears to be unhappy with the fact that look, you\u2019re bringing in all these other players,\u201d Fowler said. \u201cYou\u2019re bringing in these veterans, and you\u2019re paying DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey\u2019s big salary. That could be money allocated to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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All-Pro wide receiver DK Metcalf got a five-year, $130 million contract from the Steelers this offseaosn, and he\u2019s never played for the team before. Newly acquired players Jalen Ramsey<\/a> and Jonnu Smith<\/a> also got pay increases in the blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins on Monday.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Saunders: Cash Spending Irrelevant in Steelers Pursuit of T.J. Watt Extension<\/p>\n

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk revealed if the Steelers can\u2019t resolve the issue soon, Watt could look to make things ugly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe problem is that the two sides are, we\u2019re told, nowhere close on a new deal,\u201d Florio wrote<\/a>. \u201cWatt, one of the very best defensive players is the game, is ready for any outcome and not afraid to push the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Steelers are working hard to get a deal done, but it\u2019s a complex situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI talked to a source with the team,\u201d Fowler said. \u201cThey said, look, we\u2019re working on it, we\u2019re working on this deal. We want to resign T.J. Watt. They want him to be a Steeler legacy player and to get something done.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will most likely be the highest-paid edge rusher in the entire league once that happens. But as was cautioned to me, these are hard deals to do. They take a lot of time to do, especially with this level of money.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Steelers Now<\/a>: Insider Sheds Light on Steelers\u2019 Past Intense Contract Negotiations with T.J. Watt: \u2018You\u2019re Fortunate to Have Me\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

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