T.J. Watt wants a new contract. The Steelers haven’t given him one. Pittsburgh begins the 2021 season this Sunday. Will anything change by then?
Watt hasn’t practiced ahead of the 2021 season. He doesn’t want to get injured and risk missing out on earning a huge pay-day through a new contract. His strategy hasn’t paid off yet, though.
The Steelers have remained as stubborn as Watt has. They have yet to give their star linebacker a new contract, and it doesn’t look like any news is imminent.
Watt didn’t practice on Monday, casting his availability for the Steelers’ season opener this Sunday in doubt. He’d be a pretty big loss for the Pittsburgh defense.
“With the start of the season less than a week away, Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt is still declining to practice,” wrote Michael David Smith via Pro Football Talk.
“Watt has been sitting out practice since the start of training camp because he wants a new contract, the Steelers haven’t given him one, and he doesn’t want to risk an injury until he has his new contract in place.”
Steelers OLB T.J. Watt status when it concerns practice was unchanged today from camp. Tomlin will address tomorrow.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 6, 2021
It will be interesting to see what Mike Tomlin has to say on Tuesday. Will he back his player? Or will he take the side of Pittsburgh’s front office?
We imagine Tomlin would always take the side of his players, at least publicly. It’d be a bad look to criticize one of his best players.
We’ll learn more about the T.J. Watt situation on Tuesday when Tomlin speaks to the media.
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