T.J. Watt

PRO CAREER

AWARDS

• 2021 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year
• Five-time Pro Bowler (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Three-time Associated Press First Team All-Pro (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Two-time Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) First Team All-NFL (2020, 2021)
• 2021 PFWA Defensive Player of the Year
• 2021 Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year
• Three-time Pittsburgh Steelers MVP (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Two-time Deacon Jones Award winner (2020, 2021)
• Two-time The Committee of 101 AFC Defensive Player of the Year (2020, 2021)
• Associated Press Second Team All-Pro (2020)
• AFC Defensive Player of the Month (November 2019)
• Sporting News All-Pro, PFWA All-NFL Team and PFWA All-AFC Team (2019)
• AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Weeks 1 and 5 of 2018; Week 2 of 2020; Weeks 6, 13 and 17 of 2021)
• Two-time Steelers team captain (2020, 2022)

PRO CAREER

AWARDS

• 2021 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year
• Five-time Pro Bowler (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Three-time Associated Press First Team All-Pro (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Two-time Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) First Team All-NFL (2020, 2021)
• 2021 PFWA Defensive Player of the Year
• 2021 Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year
• Three-time Pittsburgh Steelers MVP (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Two-time Deacon Jones Award winner (2020, 2021)
• Two-time The Committee of 101 AFC Defensive Player of the Year (2020, 2021)
• Associated Press Second Team All-Pro (2020)
• AFC Defensive Player of the Month (November 2019)
• Sporting News All-Pro, PFWA All-NFL Team and PFWA All-AFC Team (2019)
• AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Weeks 1 and 5 of 2018; Week 2 of 2020; Weeks 6, 13 and 17 of 2021)
• Two-time Steelers team captain (2020, 2022)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Has played in 87 games (87 starts) over his six-year NFL career (all with the Steelers)
• Has registered 331 tackles (242 solo), 162 quarterback hits, 88 tackles for loss, 77.5 sacks, 37 passes defensed, 23 forced fumbles, six interceptions and seven fumble recoveries
• Led the NFL with 22.5 sacks in 2021 (despite missing two full games and portions of four others), tying Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (22.5 sacks in 2001) for the most in a season since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic
• Fifth player to reach 22.0 sacks in a single season since 1982
• Twelfth player (13th season) to reach 20.0 sacks in a single season since 1982
• Second Pittsburgh player overall and the first since James Harrison in 2008 to receive the Defensive Player of the Year award, annually given to the League's top defensive player
• First linebacker to win the award since Baltimore's Terrell Suggs in 2011 and the ninth overall linebacker presented the PFWA Defensive Player of the Year honor
• First player in franchise history to earn Steelers' Most Valuable Player in three consecutive seasons
• Joined Hall of Famer Joe Greene as the only two Steelers to win The Committee of 101 AFC Defensive Player of the Year award more than once (Greene won the award in 1972 and 1974)
• Joined Reggie White (1987-88) and Mark Gastineau (1983-84) as the only players to lead the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons
• Second player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record at least 13 in four consecutive seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White, who did it twice (1985-88 and 1990-93)
• Third player in NFL history with at least 14.5 sacks in three consecutive seasons, joining Jared Allen (2007-09) and Reggie White (1986-88)
• Joined Reggie White (four) as the only players to record at least 13 sacks in four of their first five seasons
  since 1982, when the individual sack became an official NFL statistic (he recorded 13 sacks in 2018, 14.5 sacks in 2019, 15.0 sacks in 2020 and 22.5 sacks in 2021)
• Third player since 1982 to record at least 70 sacks over his first five seasons, joining Reggie White (81) and J.J. Watt (74.5)
• Third-fastest player to reach 75.0 sacks since 1982 (84 games), trailing only Reggie White (65 games) and J.J. Watt (83 games)
• Only player with 75.0 or more sacks and six or more interceptions in their first six NFL seasons and the first to accomplish the feat in their first 100 games
• His 77.5 career sacks are third-most in franchise history, behind only James Harrison (80.5) and Cameron Heyward (78.5)
• Fourth player and first Steeler to record at least 77.0 sacks over their first six seasons
• Has registered at least 13.0 sacks in four of his five seasons in the NFL, which is already tied for the fourth-most 13.0 or more sack seasons in League history
• First player in franchise history with 14.0 or more sacks in multiple seasons
• Has averaged 0.89 sacks/game since entering the League back in 2017, which is tied with DE Myles Garrett for the best in NFL history (min. 70 games started)
• His 77.5 sacks since entering the NFL in 2017 are the most in the League over the span
• His 162 QB hits since entering the NFL in 2017 are the most in the League over the span
• His 88 tackles for loss since entering the NFL in 2017 are the second-most in the League over the span
• Leads the NFL in forced fumbles (23) since entering the NFL in 2017
• Reached 70+ sacks in his 76th career game, which is the third-fewest games to that total since 1982
• Reached 60+ sacks in his 69th career game, which is the fourth-fewest games to that total since 1982
• Reached 50+ sacks in his 63rd career game, which is the 10th-fewest games to that total since 1982
• Ninth linebacker with at least 20.0 sacks in a player's first two seasons (since sacks became official in 1982)
• Has recorded at least 1.5 sacks in 21 career games, the most by a Steelers player
• Has registered at least 2.0 sacks in 16 career games, second-most by a Steelers player
• Has registered at least 3.0 sacks in five career games, tied for second-most by a Steelers player
• Has sacked 34 different quarterbacks in his career, including 21 more than once
• Has recorded 52.0 sacks in 45 career games at Acrisure Stadium, including at least half a sack in 30 of the last 35 home games, the most sacks over a player's first 45 career home games in NFL history
• Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2017 (at Cleveland)
• Made NFL starting debut in Week 1 of 2017 (at Cleveland)

2022 (STEELERS)

• Played in and started nine games (spent Weeks 2 through 9 on injured reserve)
• Registered 39 tackles (27 solo), 12 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, five passes defensed and one interception
• Named a defensive team captain for the second time as voted on by his teammate
• Helped the team achieve a record of 8-2 while he was in the lineup as opposed to a 1-6 record when he was not in the lineup, along with 100 fewer total yards allowed per game (289.9 with, 389.9 without), four times as many sacks (32 with, eight without) and nearly four times as many takeaways (18 with, five without)
• One of three players in the League this season with at least 5.5 sacks and multiple interceptions despite missing seven games
• Recorded six tackles (all solo), three for loss, two passes defensed, one interception, one quarterback hit and 1.0 sack at Cincinnati in Week 1 before leaving the game with an injury
• Registered six tackles (two solo), 0.5 sack, one QB hit, one interception and two passes defensed in his home debut in Week 11 vs. Cincinnati
• Became the third-fastest player to reach 75.0 sacks since 1982 with 1.5 sacks in his 84th career game in Week 15 at Carolina
• Registered four tackles (three solo), 1.0 sack, two tackles for loss and two QB hits vs. Baltimore in Week 17, marking his eighth-consecutive game with at least 0.5 sack and sixth-consecutive game with at least 1.0 sack vs. Baltimore
• Recorded a tackle for loss in each of the last four games and 1.0 sack in three of the last four games

2021 (STEELERS)

• Played in 15 regular-season games (15 starts)
• Led the NFL with 22.5 sacks (despite missing two full games and portions of four others), tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (22.5 sacks in 2001) for the most in a season since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic
• In addition to his 22.5 sacks, he also led the NFL in tackles for loss (21), quarterback hits (39) and fumble recoveries (three)
• Registered 64 tackles (48 solo), seven passes defensed and five forced fumbles
• Led the NFL in 2021 with 1.50 sacks per game (min. 12 games)
• His average of 1.50 sacks per game in 2021 is the second-highest in single season NFL history (min. 12 games)
• Registered 22.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and 39 quarterback hits in 2021 -- all of which lead the NFL
• Seventh player to lead the NFL in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hits in the same season since 2006 when quarterback hits became an officially recognized statistic
• Fifth player to reach 22.0 sacks in a single season since 1982
• Twelfth player (13th season) to reach 20.0 sacks in a single season since 1982
• Joined Reggie White (1987-88) and Mark Gastineau (1983-84) as the only players to lead the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons
• Registered at least 1.5 sacks in nine games (most in NFL)
• Joined Reggie White (1987 – NFL Defensive Player of the Year) as the only players to have nine games with 1.5-plus sacks in a season
• Pittsburgh was 8-2-1 in games in which he had 1.0-plus sacks and 1-5 in games he didn't record a sack
• Recorded 12.5 sacks in the second half and overtime (most in NFL)
• Only four players had more sacks in the second half and overtime (12.5) than him since 2000
• Registered five tackles, including a career-high 4.0 sacks, three tackles for loss, two passes defensed and five QB hits in Week 17 vs. Cleveland
• Recorded 3.5 sacks in Week 13 vs. Baltimore

2020 (STEELERS)

• Named a defensive captain for the first time
• Started all 15 games he played in during the regular season and one playoff game
• Recorded 15.0 sacks, 23 tackles for loss and 41 quarterback hits -- third player since at least 2006 to record at least 15.0 sacks, 23 tackles for loss and 40 quarterback hits in a season (J.J. Watt; 2012, 2014, 2015 and Aaron Donald; 2018)
• In addition to his 15.0 sacks, 23 tackles for loss and 41 quarterback hits, which all led the NFL, had seven passes defended, two forced fumbles and one interception
• Seventh player to lead the NFL in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hits in the same season since 2006
• His 15.0 sacks, which were a single-season high for him, led the NFL
• His 15.0 sacks ranked tied for second in single-season franchise history
• Eleventh player to register at least 15.0 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in a single season since 1999
• His 41 quarterback hits ranked tied for fifth since the NFL started recognizing the statistic in 2006

2019 (STEELERS)

• Started all 16 games
• Ranked first or second on the Steelers in sacks (14.5, 1st), tackles for loss (14, 2nd), quarterback hits (36, 1st), forced fumbles (eight, 1st) and fumble recoveries (four, t-1st)
• Ranked in the top-five in the NFL in sacks (t-4th), quarterback hits (3rd), forced fumbles (t-1st) and fumble recoveries (t-2nd)
• His 14.5 sacks ranked third in single-season franchise history
• First Steelers player with at least a half sack in nine consecutive games since LaMarr Woodley had a streak of 10 such games (franchise record) that spanned the 2009 and 2010 seasons
• His streak of nine straight games with at least a half sack, which was the longest active streak in the League at the time, came to an end in the 2019 Week 14 victory at Arizona
• His nine-game streak was tied for the fifth-longest in NFL single season history
• First Steelers player with back-to-back seasons of at least 10 sacks since James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley (2008-10)
• Nearly became the first player in the NFL to rank in the top-five in sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hits, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries in a season since Houston Texans' J.J. Watt in 2014
• Only NFL player since 2008 to have at least 14 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 36 quarterback hits, eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in a season
• His 14 combined interceptions (two), forced fumbles (eight) and fumble recoveries (four) were the most by an NFL player since Chicago Bears' Charles Tillman in 2012 (15)
• His 14 combined interceptions (two), forced fumbles (eight) and fumble recoveries (four) were tied for the second-most by an NFL player since 2000
• His six total takeaways (interceptions and fumble recoveries) ranked tied for fourth in the NFL
• Only NFL player since 1990 to register at least two interceptions, four fumble recoveries and eight forced fumbles in a single season

2018 (STEELERS)

• Started all 16 games
• His 13.0 sacks ranked tied for the seventh-most by a Steeler in a single-season since the stat became official in 1982 (Chad Brown, 1996)
• Set a single-season career-high with 13.0 sacks – becoming the first Steelers' linebacker with 10 or more sacks in a season since 2010 (James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley) and tied for the ninth-most by a Steeler in a single-season since the stat became official in 1982
• First Steelers linebacker since 2013-14 (Jason Worilds) to record back-to-back seasons with at least 7.0 sacks
• Tallied 6.0 sacks through the first five weeks of the season, becoming the first Steeler with at least 6.0 sacks through the first five games of a season since 2009 (James Harrison, 6.0)
• His six defensive forced fumbles tied as the second-most by a Steeler in a single season since 1994 (James Harrison, 2008: seven)
• Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his Week 1 performance at Cleveland
• Totaled single-game career highs in tackles (10 total/seven solo) and sacks (3.0)
• His 3.0 quarterback takedowns vs. Browns marked the second multi-sack game of his NFL career, both occurring on Kickoff Weekends (Sept. 10, 2017 at Cleveland and Sept. 9, 2018 at Cleveland)
• Blocked what could have been a game-winning field goal by Cleveland in OT
• Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his Week 5 performance vs. Atlanta
• Led all defenders with game highs in tackles (eight total/six solo) and sacks (3.0)
• His 3.0 sacks marked the third multi-sack game of his NFL career and second of 2018 – matching a single-game career high (3.0, Sept. 9, 2018 at Cleveland)
• Forced a fumble on his third sack of QB Matt Ryan, in the fourth quarter, which was recovered by LB L.J. Fort in the Falcons' end zone for a touchdown
• Recorded a 12-yard strip-sack of Carolina QB Cam Newton in the second quarter (11/8), which increased his career sack total to 15.0 – tying Keith Willis (1982-83) for the second-most by a Steeler in their first two seasons in the NFL with the team since sacks became an official statistic in 1982
• Recorded 2.0 sacks, his third multi-sack game of his 2018 season, and the fourth of his NFL career vs. Jacksonville (11/18)
• Surpassed LaMarr Woodley for the most by a Steeler in their first two seasons in the NFL with the team since sacks became an official statistic in 1982

2017 (STEELERS)

• Started all 15 games he played in during the regular season and one playoff game
• His 7.0 sacks were the second-most by a rookie in Steelers history
• His 7.0 sacks led all NFL rookie linebackers and tied for the second-most among all League rookies
• Only NFL linebacker to finish the regular season with at least 50 tackles (52), 5.0 sacks (7.0), five passes defensed (eight) and one interception (one)
• Third player in NFL history and first on Kickoff Weekend to record 2.0 sacks and an interception in an NFL debut, joining Charles Glaze (Oct. 4, 1987) and Tommy Haynes (Oct. 4, 1987)
• First Steeler with at least 2.0 sacks in their NFL debut since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 (previous mark, 1.5, Kenny Davidson, Sept. 9, 1990 at Cleveland)
• First Steeler with at least 2.0 sacks and an interception in the same game since 2010 (LaMarr Woodley, Dec. 12 vs. Cincinnati)

College

• Played in 27 games with 14 starts over a two-year span (2015-16) for Wisconsin
• Totaled 70 tackles, 17.0 TFLs and 11.5 sacks in his career
• Named Academic All-Big Ten for two straight years (2015-16)
• Named first-team All-American by ESPN.com and Sports Illustrated, and a second-team All-American by the AP, CBS Sports and Fox Sports as a redshirt junior in 2016
• Named first-team All-Big Ten in 2016
• Recorded 11.5 sacks in 2016, the fifth-most in a single season in school history
• Moved to defense during the spring of 2015, and was part of a defense that ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 13.7 points per game
• Missed the entire 2014 season due to injury
• Redshirted in 2013
• Recruited to Wisconsin as a tight end
• Graduated with a degree in retailing and consumer behavior

Personal

• Attended the Pewaukee High School (Pewaukee, Wisc.)
• First-team all-conference quarterback, linebacker and punter
• Named honorable mention all-area at linebacker by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
• Threw for 527 yards with seven TDs, adding 554 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs as a senior, to go along with 42 tackles and 5.0 sacks on defense
• Lettered in track and field
• Son of Connie and John Watt
• His two brothers, J.J. and Derek, both play in the NFL
• Derek is a teammate with the Steelers
• J.J. is with Arizona Cardinals
• Full name: Trent Jordan Watt