The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the surprises in the AFC last season until they hit a skid toward the end of the season. Pittsburgh had a 10-7 regular season record and once again lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers defense was on the field often because of the struggles to the offense. T.J. Watt is one of the best edge rushers in the entire league and he is in the final year of his contract and looking for an extension. What was one of the reasons why Watt potentially struggled toward the end of the 2024 NFL season?
NFL Coordinator Makes Harsh Truth About Pittsburgh Steelers T.J. Watt Struggles Toward the End of the 2024 Season
It is not a secret that Watt is one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. However, he slowed down toward the end of the 2024 NFL season. One NFL coordinator said to Jeremy Fowler of espn.com about it,
“I thought he wore down a little bit. But their whole defense did. I think they just got tired, and the struggles on offense could have played a role.”
He is 30 years old and will turn 31 years old on October 11. Maybe this could be foreshadowing at something bigger for the 2025 season and beyond. It could be a sign that maybe the Steelers shouldn’t sign Watt to a long-term contract. Pittsburgh could be making a mistake in giving him potentially $40 million or more per season like Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett is getting.
Watt recorded 61 tackles, 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and four pass deflections in the 2024 NFL season. There is a chance that he may not be at training camp on time for Pittsburgh with his current contract dispute. If he does show up with a new contract, hopefully the Steelers won’t have buyer’s remorse because even though he is the second-best edge rusher in the NFL, slowing down almost feels inevitable for him.
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