T.J. Watt: The Highest-Paid Player Outside of the Quarterback Position
After signing his three-year, $123 million contract extension, T.J. Watt showed up at the Steelers’ training camp for the ninth time, displaying a relaxed and jovial demeanor. This agreement, which guarantees $108 million at the time of signing, makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback player in the NFL. Watt’s average annual salary of $41 million exceeds the $40.25 million of Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase and the $40 million of Browns standout pass rusher Myles Garrett.Watt also added that he will invite his colleagues to Sharky’s, a gesture he will celebrate for a long time. Negotiations for Watt’s contract were prolonged, and the player even missed a minicamp. However, both his teammates and general manager, Omar Khan, maintained confidence that the deal would be closed.I just wanted to get the deal done, and obviously I’m happy it got done before training camp so I can be here and eliminate any possible distractions and just worry about football.
T.J. Watt
The negotiations seemed tense at first, when Watt posted a photo on Instagram in the Steelers uniform making the peace sign. The player explained that he was just having fun with the speculations. Despite not being present in the Steelers’ offseason program, Watt continued to train on his own. He even hosted outside linebacker Nick Herbig for a morning workout in Wisconsin before agreeing to contract terms with the Steelers. During Watt’s absence, the Steelers’ roster underwent a significant overhaul, with the arrival of Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and DK Metcalf, among others. For Watt, this is a sign of the Steelers’ commitment to end the playoff win drought, which extends for almost a decade. Ramsey, acquired in a trade, expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Steelers.It was always very important to me and to the organization that T.J. be a Hall of Famer with a single helmet.
Omar Khan
Ramsey did not reveal his exact role in the Steelers, but assured that he wants to play and affect the game in any position.I’m excited about everything that has to do with this organization. Obviously, this is a historic franchise. I won a Super Bowl, I loved my time with the Los Angeles Rams, but I can’t say I’ve played for a historic franchise like this yet, so this is very exciting for me. I’m just embracing it all.
Jalen Ramsey
