Steelers’ T.J. Watt does not report to minicamp amid contract dispute

PITTSBURGH — Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt, who is entering the final year of his contract and seeking an extension, did not report for Day 1 of minicamp on Tuesday, bringing attention to his unsettled situation.

Watt did not attend any of the Steelers’ six OTAs over the previous two weeks, but those are optional. By skipping mandatory practices, Watt can be fined by the team and is escalating what now can be termed a “holdout.”

“We are going to keep preparing and moving ahead,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “We expect him back at some point. He’ll get caught up fast. He’ll be in great shape like he always is. I think it’s a great opportunity for young guys to get more reps and see what they can do on good-on-good competition.”

Watt’s decision could mark Day 1 of a long staring contest if the negotiations unfold in a manner anywhere similar to his last contract dispute.

In the summer of 2021, Watt was entering the final year of his contract when he “held in” during training camp practices at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., working off to the side while the Steelers competed in team drills. The uncertainty continued through the preseason and into Week 1 practices.

The two sides eventually came together on the Thursday before the season opener. Watt signed a four-year extension worth $112 million ($28 million average). At the time, the deal made him the NFL’s highest-paid defender and guaranteed him $80 million over the first three seasons — a significant concession from a Steelers team that typically doesn’t guarantee money after the first year.

The Steelers quickly saw a return on investment from the seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. In the first year of that new contract, Watt led the league with 22 1/2 sacks, tying Michael Strahan for the official single-season record. He also forced five fumbles and recovered three on the way to winning the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award.

After injuries limited Watt to just 10 games and 5 1/2 sacks in 2022, he returned in 2023 to lead the league with 19 sacks. Last year, he logged 11 1/2 sacks and led the league with six forced fumbles.

Signing Watt to another contract extension may not be any easier than it was in 2021. The Cleveland Browns did their division rival no favors when they convinced Myles Garrett to drop his trade request by making him the NFL’s highest-paid defender on a four-year, $160 million extension ($40 million annually) that includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money.

While it’s rare for a player to reset the market on his third contract, that’s exactly what Garrett did. Considering the 29-year-old Garrett and 30-year-old Watt entered the NFL the same season and are often considered two of the best edge rushers in the league, Garrett’s contract is a reasonable comparison.

Garrett’s pay day is also part of a larger trend. As the salary cap has grown, edge rushers in particular have benefited. The highest-paid defensive players are all edge rushers. Behind Garrett, the Texans’ Danielle Hunter just signed a one-year, $35.6 million extension, the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby makes $35.5 million annually and 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa makes $34 million.

It’s also relevant to the negotiations that the Steelers signed 28-year-old wide receiver DK Metcalf to a four-year, $132 million deal ($33 million annually).

For what it’s worth, the Steelers and their defensive co-captain have both made it known they’d like Watt to continue his career in Pittsburgh.

“I don’t want to play for anyone other than Mike (Tomlin),” Watt said after the 2023 season, when speculation swirled about Tomlin’s contract status. (Tomlin, who had just wrapped up his seventh consecutive season without a playoff win, eventually signed a deal through 2027 that made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches).

Likewise, Steelers general manager Omar Khan has on numerous instances made it clear that he hopes Watt will be what Tomlin likes to call a “one-helmet” guy.

“T.J. is one of those legacy guys,” Khan said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. “I was around Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu. Those guys spent their entire careers with us, and that’s a special thing. I’m hopeful and confident that T.J. will be one of those guys.”

(Photo: Chris Unger / Getty Images)