Steelers' T.J. Watt Loses First DPOY Award

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers defensive star, linebacker/edge T.J. Watt, had a great season in 2024, but not one that garnered a top award.

The Committee of 101 announced the recipients of the 101 Awards, with Watt missing out on AFC Defensive Player of the Year honors to Denver Broncos defensive back Patrick Surtain II.

Watt finished the 2024 season starting every game, including the 28-14 road defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round. He made 61 tackles, 40 solo and a career-high 21 assisted, along with 11.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback hits, four passes defended and two fumble recoveries.

Watt also forced six fumbles, leading the NFL, doing so for the second time in his career, as he forced a career-high eight fumbles in 2019. He forced a season-high two fumbles in the 32-13 road win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6.

He has already earned seventh consecutive Pro Bowl nod and a Second Team All-Pro honor for the second time in his career, doing so in 2019.

Watt earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in the 26-18 win over the New York Giants at Acrisure Stadium in Week 8, as he made seven tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

He has had a sensational career with the Steelers, who took him with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin.

Watt has started all 121 regular season games he's played in, with 462 tackles (331 solo), 108.0 sacks, 126 tackles for loss, 225 quarterback hits, seven interceptions, 49 passes defended, 33 forced fumbles and 12 fumble recoveries.

He recorded his 100th career sack in the 20-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at home, making him the 44th player in NFL history to do so, with the stat beginning in the 1982 season. He was also the second fastest player to achieve that stat, with only Reggie White of the Indianapolis Colts doing it earlier.

Watt is a four-time First Team All-Pro, 2019-21 and 2023, won the Deacon Jones Award for most sacks in the NFL three times, 2020, 2021 and 2023, plus won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2021.

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