(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
After a remarkable 2021 season that featured T.J. Watt tying Michael Strahan for the NFL single-season sack record (22.5), Watt finally was named AP Defensive Player of the Year after coming up short in 2020 and 2019.
With 72 sacks in 77 career games, coupled with being a first-team All-Pro three times and a four-time Pro Bowler, Watt is certainly on pace to being a future Hall of Famer. His name is also frequently mentioned with legendary defensive tackle Reggie White. Watt and White are the only two players in NFL history to have four consecutive 13-sack seasons.
Despite all the individual accolades, Watt only cares about one thing -- winning a Super Bowl.
"The number one goal has always been to win the Super Bowl," Watt said at OTAs on Thursday.
Watt is heading into only his sixth season, but only three players on the roster have been with the Steelers longer -- Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and Chris Boswell. Those three players are also the only current Steelers who've experienced a playoff win. The Steelers are one of 11 teams who haven't won a playoff game in the last five years.
"It's just one of those things that as I keep continue to progress here, not only being successful on the field, but just continue to be a leader here," Watt said. "It's going on my sixth year. That stuff is just kind of natural, and I'm an open book. I'm not a guy that is uncomfortable sharing information. I'm trying to help this team win a Super Bowl any way possible."