It was the kind of morning that perfectly captured Cleveland sports radio at its boiling point. T.J. Watt had just signed a $123 million extension with $108 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history… Again! And it wasn’t just the record-breaking number that stung. It was the precision of it. Watt’s $41 million average topped Ja’Marr Chase by $750,000 and Myles Garrett by exactly one million. That last detail lit a fuse. On 92.3 The Fan, host Nick Wilson erupted into a live on-air meltdown that sounded less like commentary and more like crisis response.

Meanwhile, for the Dawg Pound, the comparison isn’t new… It’s embedded in the division. Watt and Garrett have defined edge play in the AFC North for years. Garrett’s 14-sack campaign in 2023 put him right back in DPOY conversations, and Watt’s relentless production helped carry a crumbling defense in Steel City. But while Garrett once held the top financial perch among non-quarterbacks, the Steelers flipped the script. Watt’s new deal feels like a shot across the AFC North. And it’s stirring up real smoke in Cleveland.

“Good for you, TJ,” Wilson snapped. “Who’s a big man, TJ? Aren’t you a big, strong boy?” His voice dripped with sarcasm sharper than a Watt spin move. Then came the blowtorch. “Maybe you’ll stop throwing temper tantrums when you don’t win every Defensive Player of the Year award.” No filter, just frustration. A rival player once again edging Garrett by inches and headlines.

This isn’t just about dollars. It’s about respect. TJ Watt owns a DPOY, 108 sacks, and carried a flailing Pittsburgh team through defensive grit. Garrett? Same dominance. Arguably more versatile. He has anchored the Browns’ defense too long now. Yet he’s the one catching heat. Simply because someone else got paid more. Because someone from Pittsburgh grabbed the spotlight.

Then Wilson hit the nerve. “Myles has more playoff wins than you.” And it’s true. TJ Watt hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. Garrett has had two since 2020. But does anyone care? Neither has ever won a Super Bowl. And even this year, the chances of them winning are not very high. That’s what stings their fans.

This wasn’t Garrett versus Watt. It was Cleveland versus Pittsburgh. And like always, in the league’s eyes and in the bank accounts, the scoreboard still favors the Steelers. Another team is watching the market.

Cowboys should learn from TJ Watt and Myles Garrett

The Cowboys are on the clock. Not the draft kind, but the contract kind. Jerry and Stephen Jones need to look hard at how Pittsburgh and Cleveland handled their stars. Because Micah Parsons is next. And he isn’t just chasing trophies. He’s chasing history. TJ Watt just reset the market at $41 million per year. Garrett sits at $40 million. If Dallas waits, Parsons could crush both numbers. And Dallas won’t like the bill when that time comes.

Pittsburgh didn’t wait. They locked Watt early. Cleveland did the same with Garrett. What they got was elite edge play with zero drama. No holdouts, no threats. Just business. Dallas? They’re walking a tightrope. Parsons hasn’t skipped a snap. But he’s watching. And he knows exactly where the market’s headed.

Through four seasons, Parsons has 52.5 sacks in 63 games. Watt had 49.5 at that point. Garrett had 42.5. Micah’s production is ahead. And he’s done it with less help. No Cam Heyward or Minkah Fitzpatrick. So, his agent isn’t guessing. He’s planning ahead after doing the homework. If Watt’s worth 41, and Garrett 40, then Parsons can demand 45. And he just might get it.

Amid all this, he dismissed any tension of working against the team’s interest. Despite blaming Jerry Jones for the contract standoff, he will participate in the training camp. It’s clear that he still wants the best for them.

Cowboys always say they take care of their own. Now it’s time to prove it. Or they’ll be the next franchise ranting live on air. Not because a rival got paid. But because they waited too long to take care of the one guy, they couldn’t afford to lose.