Three brothers for two franchises
Since his youngest years, TJ Watt has been immersed in an environment of sport, competition and surpassing oneself. Benjamin of a family of three boys, he saw his brothers make a career in football, and successively access the NFL. First Justin James – known as “JJ” – in 2011, then Derek in 2016, and finally him, Trent Jordan, drafted by the Steelers in 2017.
Such a density of “Watt” per square yard necessarily attracts records, and it was in September 2020, on the occasion of the reception of Houston by Pittsburgh, that the three brothers had finally been able to be reunited on the same lawn. JJ in the blue and red colors of the Texas franchise; Derek and TJ on the Steelers side.
In NFL history, such an event has only happened twice, first with the Rooney brothers in 1927, then the Edmunds triad in 2019. But it’s not just a surname. which allowed TJ to join the prestigious American League. Trained as a tight end, he only started his transition to the position of linebacker in 2015. His room for improvement, with only one university season in defense in his legs, allowed him to be selected for the first round (30th) of the great harvest of 2017.
A model defender
Once in the deep end, TJ did not take long to emerge from the shadow of his brothers. Voted “rookie of the year” at the end of his first NFL season, the youngest Watt quickly established himself as one of the best defenders in the country, achieving in 2020 the best number of “sacks” (15 ). This season, he started on the same bases, since he already has seven, the third total in the league.
The linebacker, who is still chasing the title of “defenseman of the year”, also marked the spirits on the sixth day, thanks to his tackle on the substitute quarterback of the Seahawks, Geno Smith, at the end of overtime. An action that allowed the Steelers to offer themselves the field goald of victory (23-20). ” I’m not surprised by his ability to get us out of difficult situations, said Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin after the game. There is no mystery, we are talking about a very talented player, extremely hardworking, focused, physically and mentally prepared. »
Record contract
Tough on the pitch, TJ is just as tough in business. Sure of his performance, he did not hesitate during the summer of 2021 to initiate a standoff with the management of the Steelers to assert his salary claims. No training camp or preseason, but a record contract. At the beginning of September, TJ Watt thus piled up for $ 112 million over four years, becoming the highest paid defenseman in the league.
The pressure that accompanies this new contract does not seem to be a problem for the American, who claims to have been put in special conditions since the start of his career. ” I’ve always been asked what it was like to be JJ and Derek’s little brother. I was born for this. It’s my job to prove to all the people who put a lot of money on the table that they were right to do so. »
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