PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The series of accolades really took off on Tuesday when during the final question to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, he said about linebacker TJ Watt.
“TJ is visiting from another planet, to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said. “He has freakishly unique talent coupled with freakishly unique work habits and mindset, and it produces what you guys witness every week, which in my opinion, is Defensive Player of the Year quality.”
Watt joked on Thursday that it sounded like a wrestling promo as Watt on named the Steelers Most Valuable Player for a second consecutive year.
“Very special to me because it's voted on by my teammates and peers, people who I am around on a regular basis. Very fortunate to play alongside these guys and without them it's not possible.”
Only James Harrison, Levon Kirkland, Jerome Bettis and Terry Bradshaw have won this award in back-to-back seasons.
The numbers are impressive, leading the NFL with 15 sacks. He has six more tackles for loss, 23, than anyone else in pro football.
“I think he’s a really good football player,” said Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. “He’s good at what he does. He’s consistent at what he does. His preparation is unmatched, unrivaled.”
He wasn’t a Steelers team MVP, but linebacker Kevin Greene is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In what would be his final public interview, Greene lauded Watt. He told fellow Hall of Famer Morton Anderson that TJ should be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, that he’s the most complete linebacker in the game right now.
“It’s special,” Watt said Thursday. “I didn’t see it at the time. I saw it the past few days. Just listening to someone that was the best at what they did at the time. A Hall of Fame player, it’s awesome to hear someone say that. It’s my responsibility to keep that end of the bargain up and keep play and keep performing. I want to leave a legacy here, not only individually, but as a team.”
Players say Watt mostly leads by example, although he can give verbal motivation.
“I think TJ is a good mix of both,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s a guy that talks to us and he’s very vocal, very energetic. His personality is to lead by example. He’s a guy that does everything the right way. He’s one of the first guys in the building, one of the last to leave. He’s watching film, constantly preparing his body and mind.”
“Guys follow. Guys like Highsmith just follow in his footsteps and I see Highsmith literally doing the same exact thing that TJ is doing after practice and before practice and just the way he prepares as well.”
“I think the biggest thing he does that helps himself is he studies the game and he understands the game,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler. “He talks to his brother a lot. They talk quite a bit in terms of what’s going on in the league.”
Watt is aware of the resource of his brother and says he’s always looked up to JJ. He’s aware of his three Defensive Player of the Year Awards and his Man of the Year Award, joking they are placed right behind him during every Facetime conversation and prominently displayed in his home office.
“I’ve been to that award show three, four times including his Man of the Year Award,” TJ Watt said. “I would tell people every time I went I would always leave more motivated than when I walked in the building. That’s going from when I was in high school and he first won the award.”
Watt says he also looks up to Khalil Mack, Von Miller, Chandler Jones, Aaron Donald, saying he admires how they all play at a consistently high level.
“He watches a lot of film,” Butler said. “He is going to try and study his opponent as best he can and try to use what he knows in the game when the lights come on. He does a good job of doing that.”
“He's a very simple person,” said JuJu Smith-Schuster. “A guy who is very consistent in what he does. He eats the same thing every day. Someone who does not buy designer stuff or anything fancy. Comes in puts in work & leaves. He was always a dog.”
“He just has a knack for getting to the quarterback,” said linebacker Avery Williamson. “He has a knack for getting the ball out as well. He does more than just sack the quarterback, he’s a phenomenal player.”
“I’m glad I get to play alongside him. He’s having a phenomenal season. He’s got my vote for defensive MVP of the league.”
Watt says he doesn’t think about winning those awards, although that might be being a little modest. Watt does think about team goals as much as anything.
“I’ve always had supreme confidence in myself,” Watt said. “I’ve always had confidence in the coaching staff here, the scheme, the players. When you are surrounded by such great talent, it’s hard to hold up your end. I wanted to work as hard as I could to not let the guys down that are around me.”
“I feel like I have a lot more to do still and I feel like I have a lot of room to grow.”