Former GM Explains Only Way Steelers Succeed

The Pittsburgh Steelers could ameliorate by shaking things up this offseason, though trading a franchise legend like T.J. Watt doesn't appear to be in the cards.

That didn't stop former Steelers executive and Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley from suggesting the team should carry out such a move, however, stating that sending him away could land Pittsburgh pieces that would push it towards contending for a Super Bowl.

"As great as the affinity is for T.J. Watt, the affinity for winning a championship supersedes any one person," Whaley said on 93.7 The Fan's Morning Show. "If T.J. Watt could be that cornerstone piece to get you to the foundation of a championship, you're still paying him a lot of respect."

Whaley inferred that the two parties could mutually separate in this hypothetical scenario. That would entail Watt walking away with the understanding that the Steelers don't have the necessary pieces in place to win a championship with him on the roster and that they can only reach that peak by recouping the necessary assets in a trade involving the star pass rusher.

Whaley, speaking from Pittsburgh's perspective, explained how he would lay out the rationale behind a potential trade to Watt.

"Without your trade, we wouldn't have gotten piece X, Y or Z to propel us to starting to compete championships," Whaley said. "As great as you are T.J., the sport is focused around quarterbacks, and T.J., no disrespect for your ability. You're a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But for us to get to where we and our fans want us to go and expect us to go, you can help us. And it's by us trading you."

Watt's shown no interest in leaving the Steelers after spending eight seasons with the organization or vice versa. A significant shift in either his or the team's mindset would have to occur in order for a deal to materialize, and there's no reason to believe that'll take place at this point in time.

Entering the final year of his contract, which holds a cap hit of $30.4 million, Watt is instead a prime extension candidate. The 30-year-old finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting on Thursday night after racking up 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles in 2024.

The franchise's all-time sacks leader and a former DPOY who's also been named a first-team All-Pro on four occasions, Pittsburgh simply can't get rid of him as it looks to right the ship.

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