T.J. Watt voted Steelers’ MVP by teammates for record-tying 4th time
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Seven seasons and 100-plus games into his NFL career, T.J. Watt finally is allowing himself to, at times, stop and smell the proverbial roses.
“I’m able to more live in the moment a little more and be present,” Watt said after Pittsburgh Steelers practice Tuesday. “I am able to enjoy things and to slow things down and realize how special they are.”
Watt was referring to in-game moments when he or a teammate makes a significant play. But off the field in regards to football, not much is more special to Watt than being recognized by those teammates for his continued stellar play.
For the fourth time over the past five seasons, Watt was named the Steelers’ MVP as voted by the players. Watt also won the award in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
“Any time my peers see the amount of work that I’m doing and show they have respect for what I do it’s super gratifying,” Watt said at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “That’s all you want at the end of the day is to have respect of the people that you work with day in, day out.
“I’m just continually trying to get better on and off the field and as a leader and to try to help this team any way I can.”
This was the 55th season the Steelers have named an MVP, covering a span of six Super Bowl championship teams and two other conference champions. No one has won the award more than Watt. Only receiver Antonio Brown (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) matches Watt’s four such honors.
And Watt is just 29 years old. He already has set the Steelers’ career sacks record, a mark he eclipsed during Week 2 of this season. Watt leads the NFL with 17 sacks this season, the second most of his career and 5 1/2 shy of tying the NFL record he tied when he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.
“He’s the first-guy-in, last-guy-out kind of guy, and we need those guys,” quarterback Mason Rudolph said of Watt. “And it helps when he’s the highest-paid player on your team but he’s still doing that, and he still works like he does each and every day. What a great example that is for every rookie or every new player that comes in here that that’s what the Pittsburgh Steelers are all about. And he embodies that.”
Counting Minkah Fitzpatrick last season, Watt’s honor makes five consecutive years the Steelers MVP came from the defense. Immediately before that was a run of eight consecutive MVPs who played offense.
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