T.J. Watt the only one who doesn’t like talking about his dominant season for Steelers

From having two sacks in the season opener to missing a pair of game because of injury and racking up multiple sacks in seven of 12 games played this season, T.J. Watt is on pace to break the NFL’s single-season sacks record.

Likewise, any time the Pittsburgh Steelers’ star outside linebacker has been asked about it — be in September, in the middle of the season, or this past week — Watt declines to acknowledge he’s aware of having Michael Strahan’s record in his sights.

“No,” Watt sternly and concisely said Friday when asked if eclipsing Strahan’s 22 ½-sack season was a goal.

But what about another season sacks record — one within his own childhood household?

Surely, with as close as T.J. is to big brother J.J., he has thought of the Watt family sacks record of 20 ½ that J.J. twice reached while with the Houston Texans (in 2012 and 2’14).

“No,” T.J. said about shooting for bragging rights over his brother. “To be honest with you, no.”

Watt already has the Steelers’ single-season record, tying it in only 11 games — James Harrison needed all 16 to set it with 16 in 2008 — and blowing past it in his 12th game this past Sunday. Watt had 1 ½ sacks in a win against the Tennessee Titans and looks to pad his season total during Sunday’s scheduled 4:25 p.m. game at the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Steelers opened as 10-point underdogs against the two-time reigning AFC champions, but based on how the Steelers’ 2021 season has gone, perhaps the presence of a healthy Watt can close that gap.

In the seven games Watt has played in which he wasn’t injured or was returning from one, the Steelers are 7-0.

When Watt does not play, the Steelers are 0-2. When he leaves a game early because of injury, they’re 0-2-1. In Watt’s returns from injury, the Steelers also are 0-2.

It should come as no surprise, though, Watt will plead ignorance on the phenomenon.

“I don’t look at that stuff,” he said. “I have no clue.”

Watt might be unwilling to talk about the dominant statistical season he’s having, but his opponents aren’t.

“He’s an incredible player, man,” Kansas City offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. said this week. “T.J. is definitely one of the best. In my opinion, he should have been defensive player of the year for the last two years, but Aaron Donald does what he does, too.

“T.J.’s an amazing player. He plays with an effort unknown to mankind. He’s very skilled at what he does, very precise with the way that he attacks your hands and has a really good feel for the game of football. He’s somebody that very rarely are you able to keep him off a stat sheet. That’s not going to happen.”

Watt has had at least a half-sack in 47 of the 74 NFL games he’s played. Of the remaining 27, twice he left the game in the first half because of injury and three times he had an interception.

Watt has 46 sacks over his past 40 games. Over his past 16 games, he’s had either a forced fumble or fumble recovery in nine of them.

In Steelers’ parlance lent to coach Mike Tomlin, Watt is full of “splash.” Opponents use another word.

“He’s disruptive,” said Titans coach Mike Vrabel, himself a former edge rusher who ended his playing career with 57 sacks. “But (Watt) is also a very instinctive, athletic player.

“He brings a lot of different skills to the position. If you overset, he comes under. If you are light, he runs you over. If you overreach in the run game, he comes under and makes a play or disrupts it. Just a very instinctive player.”

Watt’s 67 sacks trail only his brother and Hall of Famer Reggie White for the most in NFL history through 74 games. Watt’s three-sack game Nov. 8 was the fourth of his career. He has multiple sacks in 19 games, and his 47 sacks over the past three seasons are 10 more than any other player.

That kind of production earns respect in the locker room.

Rookie running back Najee Harristypically demurs when asked about those who play other positions than himself. This week, Harris politely declined to talk about recent NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ star quarterback. But Harris doesn’t shy away from talking about Watt. Perhaps because, as Harris notes, Watt twice this season directly ended Steelers wins — with a strip-sack during overtime against Seattle and by disrupting Lamar Jackson’s potential winning two-point pass attempt in the final seconds against Baltimore.

“He’s having a great season,” Harris said of Watt. “Obviously, he’s making a lot of big plays for us. He singlehandedly controlled a lot of games for us, just the impact of him even being there.

“I’ve always admired him. I like a lot of people who work hard and who never give up on plays and take it seriously. Obviously, he’s one of the best players in the NFL, so it’s kind of hard not to look up to someone like that.”

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