Steelers’ T.J. Watt named AFC defensive player of the week

Chris Adamski
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 2:46 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 2:46 p.m.

Go Ad-Free Today!

Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh Steelers’ outside linebacker T.J. Watt pressures Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley during the second quarter of this past Saturday’s game at M&T Bank Stadium. Watt had two sacks in the game to give him a league-high 19 for the season.

For the final week of the regular season — and, perhaps, the final game of any kind for his season as an individual — T.J. Watt went out on top among the corps of AFC players on defense.

Watt was named the AFC defensive player of the week for the Week 18 games played this past Saturday and Sunday. Watt had eight tackles, including three for loss and two sacks, during the Steelers’ 17-10 victory at the Baltimore Ravens. The win helped the Steelers qualify for the playoffs, which they open Sunday at the Buffalo Bills.

Watt will not play in that game because of a knee injury suffered during the second half in Baltimore. But before he went down Saturday, Watt registered his 18^th and 19^th sacks of the season. That left him as the NFL’s leader for a third time, the first player in league history (since sacks became an official statistic in 1982) to do that.

An NFL defensive player of the year candidate — he won the honor in 2021 — Watt’s weekly honor was his first of this season and seventh of his career. Only Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu has as many while playing for the Steelers.

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.