Steelers' T.J. Watt Makes History vs. Ravens

T.J. Watt made some history during his return to action in Week 18 as the Pittsburgh Steelers snuck by the Baltimore Ravens in one of the craziest games in recent memory en route to clinching the AFC North.

Per NFL Network's Omar Ruiz, Watt has joined Pro Football Hall of Fame pass rusher Julius Peppers as the only two players in NFL history with 100 or more sacks and nine or more interceptions during their respective careers since sacks first became an official statistic in 1982.

TJ Watt joins Julius Peppers as the only players with 100+ sacks and 9+ INT’s in a career, since sacks became an official stat in 1982
— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) January 5, 2026

Watt reached the 100-sack mark in a Week 5 bout with the Dallas Cowboys during the 2024 campaign, becoming the second-fastest player in league history to do so, but his ninth interception came off Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on a deflection in the third quarter.

Watt's Performance in Return

Pittsburgh's star pass rusher did not suit up between Weeks 15 and 17 after suffering a partially collapsed lung that was a result of dry needling treatment he received at the team's facility last month.

It wasn't clear when Watt would make his way back onto the field for the Steelers after undergoing surgery, but with their season on the line, he logged 44 total snaps and was a consistent presence after being cleared for contact.

Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) rushes the ball past Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

After the game, Watt told reporters that he felt "really good" and gave credit to Pittsburgh's medical personnel for helping him adequately recover.

“Feel really good,” Watt said. “See how I feel the next couple days. They say we’re playing Monday, so we get an extra day. Honestly I’m really pleased with how I felt. Hats off to the training staff, strength staff for getting me ready to go. Felt great out there tonight.”

The 31-year-old closed out the contest with his aforementioned interception, two tackles, a quarterback hit and four pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

Looking Ahead

With a home Wild Card round matchup against the Houston Texans on the horizon, it'll be interesting to see how much Watt plays in that game.

His 44 snaps vs. Baltimore was his lowest total in a single contest since he matched that mark in Week 3 of the 2024 campaign, which makes sense considering Pittsburgh didn't want to throw him back into the mix without first easing him back into it following his injury.

The Steelers have the luxury of a strong defensive front that features the likes of Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig off the edge next to Watt while Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon line up on the interior of the line, meaning that Watt isn't facing a ton of pressure in his return to the team.

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