1 year ago
23
play
Why T.J. Watt is not attending Steelers mandatory minicamp (0:45)
Brooke Pryor reports connected Steelers walk rusher T.J. Watt not attending mandatory minicamp arsenic helium pursues a caller contract. (0:45)
ESPN
Jun 30, 2025, 02:00 PM ET
In caller weeks, aggregate teams person been discussing whether they tin commercialized for Pittsburgh Steelers standout walk rusher T.J. Watt, who skipped the team's astir caller minicamp, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Steelers haven't shown immoderate willingness to woody Watt truthful far, but he's unhappy with his contractual concern and sources judge extracurricular squad involvement is apt to summation fixed Monday's commercialized that sent cornerback Jalen Ramsey and choky extremity Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins to Pittsburgh successful speech for information Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The Steelers person been adamant they privation Watt to decorativeness his vocation successful Pittsburgh.
Ramsey is getting a $1.5 cardinal rise this season, bringing his 2025 compensation up to $26.6 million, sources told Schefter. The Steelers are taking connected the bulk of Ramsey's declaration for this season, with the Dolphins paying $3 million, sources told Schefter. Smith volition person a one-year declaration hold worthy $12 million, agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey told Schefter.
Watt, who is entering the last twelvemonth of his existent declaration with the Steelers, besides skipped voluntary OTAs earlier this offseason arsenic helium attempted to negociate a caller deal.
Watt past signed a four-year, $112 cardinal woody successful 2021 that averaged $28 cardinal per year. Myles Garrett reset the walk rusher marketplace 3 months ago, however, with a grounds woody that averages $40 cardinal annually and includes $123.5 cardinal successful guaranteed money, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback successful NFL history.
Watt, who turns 31 successful October, hasn't spoken publically since the extremity of the 2024 season, but helium seemingly expressed vexation with the negotiations successful April erstwhile helium posted a representation to his Instagram communicative of himself flashing a bid motion successful a Steelers jersey.
Watt has 108 vocation sacks -- 5.5 much than Garrett and the sixth astir among progressive NFL players. The four-time All-Pro was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year successful 2021 and has spent his full eight-year vocation with the Steelers.
ESPN's Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.
