Former Steelers linebacker James Farrior, a member of the Steelers Hall of Honor and a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025, sees that in Watt.

And he loves it.

"He's relentless," said Farrior. "He runs to the ball every play. He's a high motor guy, which means he's always active, always in the mix, always around the ball. As a football player, my number one thing was if you're around the ball, then you're doing something right.

"When you play at a high level like that, it's hard for people to block you. It's hard for people to account for you. You can't practice for the speed that he has. You can't simulate that in practice. You really can't.

"You don't understand, until you get into the game, how fast he's going and how hard he's working."

While Watt draws praise from every corner of the universe for his play, it's those who have played the game like Farrior who can clearly see the impact he has.

Another former Steelers linebacker who sees it is Chad Brown, one of the early members of 'Blitzburgh' who now works in sports media and has his finger on the pulse of the game.

"I think there's a relentlessness to him that is able to take advantage of the smallest error in his opponent," said Brown. "And you're not able to do that if you take plays off, if you are picking and choosing your spots. You have to be relentless because you have no idea when your opponent is going to make a mistake or when finally, you're going to be single blocked.

"Over the course of the game, when the opponent throws the ball 35 times a game, you are going to rush the quarterback every opportunity, but some of those are going to be three-step drops. Some of those are going to be quick drops and you have no chance to affect the quarterback there. You've got to chip away at those 35 pass attempts. And really within that, it may only be somewhere between five and seven pass plays where you can actually have a chance to affect the quarterback.

"So, without being relentless in your nature, because you're never going to know when those five or seven plays are going to come, when they do come if you are a guy who decides you're going to take plays off or you're trying to look for the perfect window of opportunity, you're not going to be prepared to make the play when that opportunity finally comes to you.

"You have to be relentless. You have to have a heart that never dies because you need to seize this opportunity when it comes.

"That is what T.J. does."

* * *

The relentless approach on the field is something that can easily be seen with the naked eye by anyone watching the Steelers play.

And what they see is him making history.

Watt recorded his 100th career sack against the Cowboys, on a night he accounted for one and a half sacks. Watt became the second fastest player to reach 100 career sacks, doing it in 109 career games. Only Hall of Famer Reggie White did it faster, reaching the 100-sack mark in 96 games. Watt is also one of only three players to reach 100 career sacks before the age of 30.

Watt, who is the Steelers all-time sack leader, is the only player to lead the NFL in sacks three times since the stat became official in 1982.

He is a force to be reckoned with.

"You have to put two guys on this man," said Hall of Fame Coach Bill Cowher on That Other Pregame Show on CBS Sports. "You have to throw some screens early, some draws, early just to slow him down and give him something to think about. He can wreak havoc in a game. He is that type of player.

"He is a defensive player of the year candidate. He is a guy that can change a game. He is a first ballot Hall of Fame player. Those are guys you have to game plan for."

Cowher ranked Watt as the Steelers fourth best all-time defensive player, ranked ahead of Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu (No. 5), and behind three other Hall of Famers in Mel Blount (No. 3), Rod Woodson (No. 2) and Joe Greene (No. 1).

It's great company to be in no doubt.

But it doesn't happen if Watt isn't relentless in every aspect of his game.

There is one area that others don't always see that stands out and he approaches with the same vigor.

Film study.

You would be hard pressed to find a player who spends more time studying film than Watt, but also does it with such precision that he is able to pull out things that nobody else can find.

Watt is one of the first players to arrive at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in the morning, and one of the last to leave at the end of the day, when his film study doesn't come to an end.

"I watch a good amount of film throughout the week, including about an hour or so each night at home on my own," said Watt. "When I'm here in the facility, and I'm not eating, I'm watching film because I'm trying to gain an edge.

"You only have so many hours within a day. Mike T(omlin) says we're not paid by the hour. We're just trying to win games. And I'm trying to do everything that I possibly can to win games. So, if there's a special teams meeting going on, I'm not just going to sit in my locker for 30 minutes while special teams meet. I'm going to watch film by myself and try and get an edge that way. That's what's been working for me. If I'm not in an actual meeting with coaches and stuff, I'm going to go and find time to watch film by myself."

Watt said his film study has evolved since he entered the league, understanding more what to look for, how to watch it, and what to take away from it.

He enjoys varying who he watches film with, including outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin, defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and Tomlin. He takes something from each of their perspectives, putting it together with his own to master the craft.

"It's evolved over time as the game has slowed down for me and I understand what I'm looking at," said Watt. "A lot of guys, when they first come into the league, you're just watching film. You're not watching with intention.

"Now, I'm trying to find keys. I know specific points to look at, whether it's tackle, tight end stances. Whether it's the quarterback, or formational things overall that allows the game to slow down for me."

It's his relentless approach to film study that allows him to occasionally find the 'golden nugget' he referred to after the win over the Falcons. Watt had a strip sack of Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, although he was called for offsides on the play, but got a jump like no other because he found the golden nugget that gave him an advantage.

"Is very hard to find that golden nugget. You have to be a student of the game. You have to watch a lot of film," said Farrior. "That play against the Falcons reminded me of Troy Polamalu. The way he anticipated the snap of the ball, it was unbelievable. I thought it was the greatest get-off I've ever seen. They called it a penalty, but T.J.'s a guy that doesn't worry about what happens on the field as far as them making the right calls. He just keeps playing. And that's what I love about him."

As Farrior indicated, it isn't easy to find that nugget. Not at all.

But Watt isn't looking for easy. He loves a challenge.

"I think you get to a stage in your career where you're open to it," said Tomlin. "At the early stages of your career, you're so worried about what it is you need to do, your process, your readiness, your communication, whether it's the prep process or whether it's snap readiness.

"He's gotten to the point in his career where some of the things that he needs to do happen in a natural way, and it just opens up some of the other things to him. I think oftentimes guys try to find the nuggets too early in their career. You've got to work on you first. And he's done that. He's an example of that."

Watt admits it's not something that happens every game, and sometimes, even when he finds it on film, it doesn't translate on the field on game day. It's even tougher the more the game evolves with film breakdown because coaches are finding every way for tendencies to not show up on film.

"It's extremely difficult and that's why it's so rewarding when you get one and you're able to capitalize on it," said Watt. "There's a lot of factors involved. There has to be some sort of mechanism that moves first to fire the football. It's not like the hand is moving first all of the time. Sometimes it's the outside knee that goes on the center, but sometimes you get in the game, and you can't see it. On film all week, you could be thinking you have a nugget, and you can see it. Then in a game, you think about your actual perspective when you're looking down the line of scrimmage and it's not realistic. You can't see it in person.

"In the same respect, you have to self-scout because you don't want your opponent to say every time he is in a three-point stance, he's rushing. I have to mix it up. I have to understand that I'm also being scouted each and every day by other teams.

"It's pretty crazy. We're creatures of habit, even if you don't know you're doing something. If you watch enough film, you can kind of get a beat on what guys are trying to do, whether it's run, pass, whether it's a run a certain way and things like that."

Watt knows on a weekly basis offensive coordinators and head coaches are game planning to make sure he doesn't wreck the game.

It's something that might frustrate some players. For Watt, it's a challenge he welcomes.

"It's fun. It really is," said Watt. "Just because I'm trying to win, I'm trying to help create as many big plays as I can, but I'm also trying to not be outside of myself and try to do things that could put my team in a bad situation.

"It's a challenge each and every week. I'm just trying to find ways to win. I'm trying to find ways to deal with these chips and slides and double teams and things of that nature and it keeps me on my toes.

"I treat it like a chess match. I'm trying to think, I did this, they did that, how am I going to come out the next time if I do this type of thing. I'm always looking at the iPad on the sideline to gain an edge."

* * *

Watt has won almost every award possible in football. Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year. NFL sack leader three times. Associated Press First-Team All-Pro. The list goes on and on.

And he's earned praise along the way, including from former Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Donald, who is a three-time Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner, retired this offseason.

When he said goodbye to the game, he shared on Chris Long's podcast who he feels is the best defensive player in the league now.

It's no surprise, he said Watt.

"I think it's T.J. Watt," said Donald. "You talk about a guy that's consistent. Been doing it year in, year out, consistently, that's gonna get you 15 sacks, 13 sacks, 22 sacks, consistent. He's the guy who's been doing it consistently, interceptions, touchdowns, His stats are ridiculous every single year. He's that guy to me.

"In my opinion, in the time I've seen T.J. Watt in this league, from the first time I've seen him to last year, he's consistently been dominating in this league. So, a lot of respect for him."

The awards, the praise, it's all stuff Watt appreciates.

But he wants more. There is one thing he hasn't won yet.

A playoff game. And that drives him like nothing else ever has.

"He's had about every individual award that you can get in this game," said Tomlin. "He has that perspective and it's a great one. He realizes his legacy is going to be based on what it is we do in January and February."

And Watt is laser focused on finding a way to get that elusive win. And then some. He doesn't want to stop until the Steelers hoist a Lombardi Trophy again.

"Not to say I haven't thought about it before, but at this point of my career, the individual awards aren't anything," said Watt. "It's all about winning. It's all about team, trying to pick guys up if they're down. I'm trying to celebrate with guys more and trying to enjoy everything.

"I truly feel like this team is special offensively, defensively and special teams, and I want to do everything that I possibly can. I'm not hiding my film. I'm trying to share with everybody to win.

"It's been tough not getting there. It's been very difficult, especially when you are part of such a historic organization like this where they're constantly bringing back Super Bowl champions. When I'm done, I want to come back. And I want them to say, T.J. Watt, Super Bowl champion. That's all that's important to me.

"There's definitely a different aura when someone says Super Bowl champion so-and-so as opposed to just a one-time defensive player of the year. You had 'X' number of sacks.

"It's more about what are you truly leaving as a legacy for the City of Pittsburgh. It's not just about me. It's about this team and how many special guys that we have this year."