Steelers sign T.J. Watt to record-breaking three-year, $123 million contract extension

The Pittsburgh Steelers have locked up their defensive cornerstone, T.J. Watt, with a jaw-dropping three-year, $123 million extension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The blockbuster deal includes a staggering $108 million in fully guaranteed money, setting a new bar for non-quarterbacks and making Watt the highest-paid player outside of the QB position in NFL history—for the second time in his stellar career.

With an average annual salary of $41 million, Watt edges past Myles Garrett of the Browns, who previously topped the list at $40 million per year.

Watt was heading into the final season of a four-year, $112 million contract signed back in 2021. Talks over an extension had simmered throughout the offseason, and tensions rose when Watt sat out mandatory minicamp in June. Several teams reportedly poked around with trade interest as Pittsburgh’s brass worked behind the scenes to hammer out a deal.

T.J. Watt has once again etched his name into the record books, becoming the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback for the second time in his storied career. The Steelers’ star pass-rusher previously claimed that title with a four-year, $112 million extension inked in September 2021, and now he’s back on top.

Watt leapfrogged Ja'Marr Chase, who recently signed a four-year, $161 million deal with the Bengals, as well as Myles Garrett, whose $160 million pact with the Browns briefly made him the league’s richest defender. Watt’s fresh extension not only resets the market but reasserts his place as the gold standard among defensive playmakers.

Since being drafted in the first round back in 2017, Watt has been an absolute terror for opposing offenses. No player in the league has piled up more sacks (108), quarterback hits (225), tackles for loss (126), or forced fumbles (33) during that span. The numbers speak for themselves—Watt has dominated from the jump.

The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year enjoyed a historic campaign that season, tying Michael Strahan’s long-standing single-season sack record with 22.5. He’s led the league in sacks three times (2020, 2021, and 2023), a feat few can match.

Even in 2024, the 30-year-old showed no signs of slowing down, notching 11.5 sacks and forcing a league-best six fumbles. That performance earned him a fourth-place finish in the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting and further solidified his status as one of the game’s elite.

Already the Steelers’ all-time sack leader, Watt continues building a résumé worthy of Canton. With seven Pro Bowls and four First-Team All-Pro selections under his belt, he’s now reached double-digit sacks in six of his last seven seasons, only an injury-plagued 2022 campaign kept him from making it a clean sweep.

T.J. Watt's blockbuster extension is likely the final piece in what’s been a whirlwind offseason for the Steelers and GM Omar Khan. The front office has been firing on all cylinders, pulling off several headline-making moves to reshape the roster.

Pittsburgh bolstered its lineup by swinging trades for star wideout DK Metcalf, veteran corner Jalen Ramsey, and tight end Jonnu Smith, while also making a splash by bringing in quarterback Aaron Rodgers. On the flip side, the Steelers cut ties with a few key pieces—dealing away safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and receiver George Pickens, and opting not to re-sign running back Najee Harris, who hit the open market.

With the dust now settling and Watt locked in long-term, the Steelers appear ready to charge into the new season with a retooled core and renewed ambition.