After Pro Bowl season in Year 2, Steelers’ T.J. Watt finds new means of motivation
It was, on the surface, an early-practice position drill as part of the eighth of nine voluntary organized team activity sessions in early June.
But T.J. Watt forced himself to perform with a fire as if it was the fourth quarter of a December game against New England.
“We are so competitive in everything we do,” the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third-year outside linebacker said. “Even if you watch our drills, we are always competing.
“I think I beat Bud (Dupree) in get-offs today – so if you see him, tell him that.”
TJ Watt was as productive as any defensive player in the #NFL last season. His numbers tell of a player nearing elite status. #Steelers #SteelersNation #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/ijXCp2w680
— Black and Gold Nation (@B_GNation1) June 2, 2019
Thirty-one games and 20 sacks into his NFL career, Watt is finding new ways to motivate himself after making the AFC Pro Bowl roster after last season. Rated “above average” and as the No. 24 edge rusher in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, Watt believes he can be better.
Still 24 years old when the season begins in September and yet with three years of contractual control owed to the Steelers, if Watt continues to ascend he could peak as one of the NFL’s premier 3-4 outside linebackers.
This doesn’t compare to the real thing... Needs work. https://t.co/uTKbyqh00Y
— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) June 4, 2019
“You just want to keep trending upward; you never want to stay the same and you definitely don’t want to get worse,” Watt said. “So I want to keep getting better, and that’s what’s making me hungry.
“I watched a lot of film from last year and just seeing how many more plays I could have made, (areas) where I can get a lot better. And just even out here (at OTAs), even though we are not in shoulder pads and full pads and stuff like that, just finding one thing to get better at each and every day is going to help me improve.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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