Steelers’ next step if T.J. Watt’s contract extension gets done

Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have a starting quarterback for the 2025 season after Aaron Rodgers agreed to a one-year deal with the team, all eyes are on the T.J. Watt extension saga. Watt has been holding out as he seeks a new contract and he racked up over $100,000 in fines for skipping mandatory minicamp.

While there’s still no specific timeline for when Watt’s deal will get done, fans did get some clarification on how the team will likely handle the six-figure fine that the veteran defensive end has incurred.

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo was asked if Pittsburgh could simply choose to waive the $104,768 in fines that Watt tallied by skipping the team’s three-day mandatory minicamp. “Yes they can and will in Watt’s case, once he does sign [a contract extension],” Fittipaldo explained, per Steelers Wire.

When will T.J. Watt be back on the field for the Steelers?

Watt could well be on the verge of surpassing Myles Garrett’s record-breaking extension, which has an annual value of $40 million. So, $100K is essentially pocket change to him. But the Steelers would likely waive it as a good will gesture after contract negotiations dragged out.

Watt is entering the final season of a four-year pact he signed with Pittsburgh in 2021 and the former Defensive Player of the Year is determined to get a new contract before taking the field this season. He opted to hold in during his extension negotiations with the team four years ago, avoiding being fined for skipping practice while making it clear he needed a new deal. He ultimately signed a $112 million contract with the Steelers just prior to the start of the 2021 season.

This time around, it’s unclear if Watt will continue holding out if an agreement isn’t reached by the start of training camp. However, the negotiations received an encouraging update this week as NFL insider Peter Schrager reported that both sides are eager to get a deal done. With the Rodgers situation taken care of, Watt should have the Steelers’ full attention.

Watt is entering his ninth year in the NFL and his age-31 season. In 2024 he played all 17 games, racking up 61 total tackles, 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four passes defended. He was named a second-team All-Pro and received his seventh-career Pro Bowl nod.