The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to the playoffs! After winning their final game of the season they will now face the Buffalo Bills in their first round playoff matchup but they will have to do it with out one of the best defensive players in the league and of all time in TJ Watt.
During their victory against the backups of the Baltimore Ravens, TJ Watt suffered a grade 2 sprained MCL and left the game. The Steelers still found a way to win and because of help along the way they will now have a playoff game as well in a year that they have started three different quarterbacks.
After the final week of the regular season came to completion, TJ finds himself with a legendary record and one that will be very hard to beat.
Pittsburgh Steelers’ TJ Watt Led The NFL In Sacks… Again
TJ finished the 2023 season with 19 sacks to lead the NFL in that category again for the THIRD time in his career. No one in the NFL has ever done that before and now TJ stands alone as the only player ever to lead the NFL in sacks 3 times.
He led the NFL in sacks in 2020 and 2021 and now again in 2023 making him the only man to accomplish this feat. While he suffered the grade 2 sprain and will not be able to suit up in their playoff game, he is still a young man and will have many season to add to this legendary record. While the Steelers will dearly miss him the all pro in this playoff game, they will have to find other ways to get to quarterback Josh Allen if they want to find a way to win.
TJ is third in odds for defensive player of the year even though he should be winning it almost every year. He is leading in every major stat category in addition to sacks and he just comes to play week in and week out. The impact he has on the Steelers defense is huge as they are a totally different team with him on the field.
While we may not see the historic player suit up again this season, TJ still has a lot of football left in him, and we just may be seeing, quietly, one of the best to ever do it at the position and on the defensive side of the ball in general. It is a huge loss to not have your best player in the playoffs and we will see if they can compete with the Bills without him.