Linebacker T.J. Watt, who is once again on pace to be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was voted the Steelers 2023 Most Valuable Player by his teammates.
This is the fourth time Watt has won the Steelers MVP, doing so previously from 2019-21. He is only the second player in team history to win the honor four times, matching Antonio Brown, who won it in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.
"He is a very dominant force. He is a great player," said safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who won the MVP honor in 2022. "He is a player that causes chaos in any aspect of the game.
"He is what you would call a game-wrecker, where at any moment he can turn the tide in a game."
Watt appreciates the game-wrecker moniker. It's something he enjoys, while also understanding there is a fine line when it comes to being a game-wrecker. It's not something that is going to happen every play, and as much as Watt would like to blow up every play, he understands he can't.
"You can't try to be Superman all the time," said Watt. "You have to pick and choose your spots. That's something that I've learned over my career. There are certain moments in the game where the crowd is going nuts and it's third down and you're like, okay, this is a chance where I can really shoot my shot here and try to make a game-wrecking play. But other than that, you just have to own your role and do your job."
Watt is currently tied for the NFL lead with 17 sacks, leading the league twice before in 2020 and 2021. If he continues on his pace he will become the first player to lead the NFL in sacks three times. Watt became the seventh player since 1982 with at least 17 sacks in two of his first seven seasons.
Watt is also tied for first in quarterback hits (33), tied for second in fumble recoveries (3), tied for fifth in forced fumbles (4) and tied for sixth in tackles for a loss (16). He joins only two other players with this stat line in a season, including his brother J.J. Watt, who won AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times, and Jared Allen.
Watt has recorded a sack in 12 of 16 games in 2023. He has averaged 0.93 sacks per game since he was drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, which is the best in NFL history (minimum 100 games started).
"It takes a lot to stop a player like him," said Fitzpatrick. "He is at the line of scrimmage, so there isn't a play that he doesn't affect. If it's a run, he can disrupt the run. If it's a pass, he can disrupt the pass. When you have a guy like that, the offense has to focus a lot of attention on him. When they do that, they put two, sometimes three guys on him and he still has that high motor and energy and pairs that with great technique.
"He is always training, working on his hand placement, mobility to get around corners. He is a combination of doing everything the right way."
Watt broke the Steelers all-time sack record earlier this season when he recorded his 81.5 career sack against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 of the season, breaking the record set by James Harrison.
It was a record Harrison didn't mind seeing broken.
"It's great," said Harrison, who watched the game from Acrisure Stadium. "Records are meant to be broken and that was one I was happy to see go down. It's guys that played here wanting to see guys that are currently playing do better and greater things than what the previous group did and holding up what that Steelers' lore is."
Watt currently hold the Steelers record with 94.5 career sacks, which is third-most in NFL history by a player in their first seven seasons in the NFL. And believe it or not, is still improving.
"He can still be better, which is crazy," said his older brother J.J. Watt, who retired this year after an amazing 12 seasons in the NFL. "Even just watching film I see it. Now, we are talking about nitpicking at the highest level. These are things where it's like going from a 99 to a 100. It's one little thing. But that is the level he has put himself at where those are the types of things we are looking at on film and talk about.
"He is constantly trying to grow and improve. I think he has stacked block on top of block when it comes to improving as a player, whether it's pass rush moves, the run game, or habits from nutrition, studying film and performance. He is always trying to find that edge and pushing the limits of what is possible and that is why he has so much success."
Watt is a defensive captain for the third time this season and has embraced what it means.
"For so long I was just a quiet guy trying to gain respect," said Watt. "I might've taken it a little too far and for too many years. But it's fun to finally open up and show my personality to my teammates, the fans, the media. It's what's allowing me to play freely and have fun. And it's awesome to see guys following and respecting what I do on and off the field."
Watt admits his leadership style is more of a lead by example than being the vocal guy, but he also realizes there has to be a balancing act, because there are times when his voice is needed.
"You have to balance it," said Watt. "It's hard. But I'm trying to be more of a holding people accountable guy. At the same time, you have to understand that people are going to hold you to a much higher standard as well. It's kind of a push and pull thing, especially in today's day and age. You have to understand that guys accept critiquing a little differently.
"As far as myself, I want the criticism. If I mess up, I want to know that I messed up. I also want you to know that I'm going to do everything in my power to fix that mistake. I will take it personally as heck that it won't happen again."
One of the reasons it won't happen again is the role discipline plays in everything Watt does.
"He is the best in the league at what he does," said fellow linebacker Alex Highsmith. "He works his butt off. He is the best at what he does for a reason. It's because he works so hard. It's the discipline he has. He takes the mental part of the game so big. He studies film. He studies guys he is going against. That helps him to have an advantage."
Steelers MVPs since 1969
1969 - Roy Jefferson, WR
1970 - Joe Greene, DT
1971 - Andy Russell, LB
1972 - Franco Harris, RB
1973 - Ron Shanklin, WR
1974 - Glen Edwards, S
1975 - Mel Blount, CB
1976 - Jack Lambert, LB
1977 - Terry Bradshaw, QB
1978 - Terry Bradshaw, QB
1979 - John Stallworth, WR
1980 - Donnie Shell, SS
1981 - Jack Lambert, LB
1982 - Dwayne Woodruff, CB
1983 - Gary Anderson, K
1984 - John Stallworth, WR
1985 - Louis Lipps, WR
1986 - Bryan Hinkle, LB
1987 - Mike Merriweather, LB
1988 - David Little, LB & Rod Woodson, CB
1989 - Louis Lipps, WR
1990 - Rod Woodson, CB
1991 - Greg Lloyd, LB
1992 - Barry Foster, RB
1993 - Rod Woodson, CB
1994 - Greg Lloyd, LB
1995 - Neil O'Donnell, QB
1996 - Jerome Bettis, RB
1997 - Jerome Bettis, RB
1998 - Levon Kirkland, LB
1999 - Levon Kirkland, LB
2000 - Jerome Bettis, RB
2001 - Kordell Stewart, QB
2002 - Joey Porter, LB & Hines Ward, WR
2003 - Hines Ward, WR
2004 - James Farrior, LB
2005 - Casey Hampton, NT & Hines Ward, WR
2006 - Willie Parker, RB
2007 - James Harrison, LB
2008 - James Harrison, LB
2009 - Ben Roethlisberger, QB
2010 - Troy Polamalu, S
2011 - Antonio Brown, WR
2012 - Heath Miller, TE
2013 - Antonio Brown, WR
2014 - Le'Veon Bell, RB
2015 - Antonio Brown, WR
2016 - Le'Veon Bell, RB
2017 - Antonio Brown, WR
2018 - JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR
2019 - T.J. Watt, LB
2020 - T.J. Watt, LB
2021 - T.J. Watt, LB
2022 - Minkah Fitzpatrick, S
2023 - T.J. Watt, LB
