Forget about position, Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt is among the best all-around players in the NFL. This has pretty much been the case since Pittsburgh selected the Wisconsin product in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
All the 29-year-old Watt has done is lead the NFL in sacks three of the past four seasons. That included tallying 19 last season.
Watt is still in his prime. He’s earned six consecutive Pro Bowl appearances and been named All-Pro four times. He will go down as a first ballot Hall of Famer and one of the best pass rushers of the modern era.
But how much longer will Watt suit up in the NFL? Surprisingly, retirement talk came up during Steelers minicamp this week. He provided a detail thought processs as it relates to the “r” word.
“I don’t know if I want to play forever, but who knows? It is too hard to say,” Watt said, via The Athletic. “J.J. always said he didn’t want to play super long, then things happened and he ended up playing longer. I won’t know until that moment comes. I feel great right now, so I am kind of just living in the moment.”
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Retirement could not be too far off for Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt
Watt will turn 30 in October. It’s important to note that his brother, J.J, retired at the age of 33. Watt’s other brother, Derek, retired at 31.
It’s all about the grind of the NFL season and wanting something more than to be broken down physically after retiring.
We’ve seen other star players retire at the height of their careers to avoid long-term injuries in the post-football life.
Could Watt follow suit?
“I don’t have forever to play, Watt said. “I have always approached the game as right now, and I have never taken it for granted, and that hasn’t changed at all.”
Watt is signed through the 2025 season.