Madden Monday: Mark Madden says ’T.J. Watt is the bad guy in this situation’
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A contract extension for Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt is imminent.
On the verge of happening. Looming. Around the corner. On the way. On the cusp.
If we keep saying things like that, eventually it’s going to be correct, right?
Unless it isn’t.
Every perceived mile marker on the calendar to get a deal finalized has come and gone. The start of training camp. The Hall of Fame game. The extra practice week after the preseason finale versus the Carolina Panthers.
And Watt’s extension still isn’t done.
Now an actual deadline is on the horizon: Game 1 of the regular season in Buffalo Sunday. The Steelers normally have a hard rule about not negotiating during the regular season if extensions aren’t done in advance of kickoff of the first game.
Unless an exception is made for Watt.
Furthermore, head coach Mike Tomlin usually has a rule about players needing to practice at some point before a game, so Watt better sign and be on the field by Thursday or Friday at the latest if he expects to play against the Bills.
Unless another exception needs to be made for Watt.
Plus, the Steelers also normally have a rule about not guaranteeing money beyond the signing bonus in their contracts.
So, unless Watt gets about $100 million upfront in a bonus, maybe a third exception will be needed for Watt.
That leaves TribLIVE columnist and 105.9 The X host Mark Madden wondering how many exceptions Watt is expecting.
“That’s what this is all about — Watt wanting the Steelers to break policy,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “T.J Watt wants more money than they are willing to give. And he wants guaranteed money past the first season, which the Steelers have never done. That’s been a steadfast policy. Why should they break it for him? They just cut the quarterback’s money this year — a guy who means more to the Steelers currently and a guy who means more to the Steelers over the course of his career than T.J. Watt ever could.
“If Ben Roethlisberger has to abide by certain things that the club wants, why should they set a precedent for an edge rusher? He’s not a quarterback. He’s not a cornerback. He’s not a left tackle. He’s an edge rusher. And that’s important. Just not that important.”
And Madden isn’t mincing words about how the public should perceive these negotiations.
“We should look at T.J. Watt as the bad guy in this situation. Because he is currently under contract,” Madden said. “If you are under contract, you show up for work. This isn’t Le’Veon Bell. Le’V Bell refused the franchise tag. That’s a whole different kettle of fish. And T.J. Watt is just refusing to work.”
As Madden pointed out, Bell’s franchise tag situation was different than Watt playing out his fifth-year option in the sense that Bell technically wasn’t under contract at the time. Watt is.
“Le’V Bell was merely negotiating. T.J. Watt is refusing to work. He’s the bad guy,” Madden insisted.
Also during this week’s podcast, Madden and I talk about the injuries to Stephon Tuitt, Zach Banner and Anthony McFarland. We discuss the rest of the AFC North. How the NFL is handling the covid-19 situation. The Pirates’ 0-for-6 run through Chicago. The Penguins’ latest moves. And how Mike Sullivan may shape the American hockey roster in the Olympics.