Steelers’ T.J. Watt named AFC defensive player of the month
Averaging two sacks and four QB hits per game while leading the NFL in those categories — among a handful of others — T.J. Watt was honored for the stellar start to his season.
Watt, the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker, was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. The seven-year NFL veteran and 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is an early frontrunner to claim that season-long award again after posting six sacks, 12 QB hits, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and five tackles for loss over the Steelers’ first three games.
Aside from being second in TFLs, Watt is tied for or leads the league in all of those categories. He also had one of the four defensive touchdowns by an AFC player in September, his 16-yard fumble return in the Sept. 18 win against the Cleveland Browns.
During that game, Watt surpassed James Harrison for the most career sacks by a Steelers player.
“T.J., I mean, you can’t think of another guy that impacts the game more,” Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said during a conference call with Pittsburgh media this week.
The Steelers play at the Texans on Sunday.
“(Watt) is probably the most impactful defensive player in the league right now,” Ryans said. “Leading the league in sacks and pressures. When you have one guy who can pressure and disrupt the quarterback, it just changes the entire scheme of things defensively. You don’t have to blitz as much because you have a guy like T.J. Watt.”
Watt previously won the conference defensive player of the month award in November 2019, September 2020 and November 2020.
“You know, some people watch tape. Some people study tape,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said this week when asked about Watt. “And there’s a difference. However you describe the spectrum, T.J. is on the extreme end of it from a preparedness standpoint. And that’s one of the reasons why you get the production that you get from him beyond his freakish talent.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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