Current NFL players have once again voted on their Top 100 Players of 2023 in the league, and linebacker T.J. Watt is once again on the list.
Watt came in at No. 27 on the list, after being No. 6 heading into the 2022 season, a year marred by injury.
Coming off a season where he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, he had high hopes for the 2022 campaign.
But those hopes were somewhat dashed early when he suffered a pectoral injury in the Steelers season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
After missing seven games, Watt returned to the lineup and finished the season with 39 tackles, 27 of them solo stops, five and a half sacks, eight tackles for a loss, five passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble. He was voted to the 2022 Pro Bowl Games, although he didn't take part as he was still working his way back to full health.
Watt admitted that he didn't fully feel like himself until the last couple of weeks of the season, something that frustrated him.
"It was probably the last two weeks of the season that I started to really feel like myself," said Watt. "I don't know if I ever fully got back, but I was definitely climbing and starting to feel a lot better and I wasn't coming out of games super sore. I was finally in football shape and getting back to taking chances and playing free and not being so worried about making mistakes. That's the frustrating thing for me. I felt like I was starting to gain my stride and get back to who I am."
Take a look at photographs of Steelers LB T.J. Watt from the 2022 season
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) sacks Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 in Charlotte, NC. The Steelers beat the Panthers 24-16. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 in Cincinnati, OH. The Steelers beat the Bengals in OT 23-20. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrates during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Las Vegas Raiders, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Raiders 13-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) sacks Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 in Jacksonville, FL. The Steelers beat the Jaguars 16-15. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Las Vegas Raiders, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Raiders 13-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers defeated the Saints 20-10. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022 in Indianapolis, IN. The Steelers beat the Colts 24-17. (Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) prior to a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 in Jacksonville, FL. The Steelers beat the Jaguars 16-15. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Lions 19-9. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Steelers linebackers huddle prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA.The Bengals beat the Steelers 37-30. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Bengals beat the Steelers 37-30. (Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Lions 19-9. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Bengals beat the Steelers 37-30 (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) intercepts a play during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 in Cincinnati, OH. The Steelers beat the Bengals in OT 23-20. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022 in Indianapolis, IN. The Steelers beat the Colts 24-17. (Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) sacks Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 in Charlotte, NC. The Steelers beat the Panthers 24-16. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA.The Bengals beat the Steelers 37-30. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) sacks Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 in Charlotte, NC. The Steelers beat the Panthers 24-16. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Bengals beat the Steelers 37-30 (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
This is the 13th year current players across the league have voted for the Top 100, a series that then streams on NFL+ and later airs on NFL Network each week.
The Top 10 will be revealed during a two-hour show on Monday, August 7 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL+. The live show will be hosted by Rich Eisen and Andrew Whitworth with special guests featured from the Top 10 players selected.
On Sunday, August 6, NFL Network will air a four-episode marathon counting down from No. 50 – No.11 starting at 9:00 AM ET.
For more information on how to purchase NFL+ and NFL+ Premium subscriptions, fans can access www.nfl.com/plus. Throughout The Top 100 Players of 2023, the Around the NFL team will provide reaction pieces and analysis on this year's selections.
