Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt named AFC defensive player of the week for 3rd time this season
Make it 3 for 11 when it comes to T.J. Watt being honored as the AFC’s best defensive player for a given NFL weekend.
Watt was named the conference’s player of the week in recognition of his four-sack game during Monday night’s win against the Cleveland Browns. Watt also won the AFC’s weekly award after his efforts in wins Oct. 17 and Dec. 5.
Watt has missed two games and left before halftime of two others this season because of injury, meaning he’s won player of the week in three of the 11 full games he’s played.
In those three games alone, Watt has nine sacks, nine tackles for loss, 13 QB hits and two forced fumbles.
Watt has 21½ sacks for the season, one shy of Michael Strahan’s NFL record. Watt will have a chance to break the record when the Steelers are scheduled to finish their regular season Sunday at the Baltimore Ravens.
“I’m not surprised by it at all,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “I’ve thought he was capable of that for the last several years. His pressure rate relative to … rushes is what screams at you.”
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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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