In Pittsburgh, holding out has quietly become the least effective contract strategy. It’s almost predictable: a veteran skips OTAs and minicamp, hoping absence will spark urgency, but the Steelers simply wait. Cam Heyward tried it when he stayed home, watching workouts from afar as negotiations stalled. Cam did finally return on June 4, 2024, but that too was after self-realization. “I’ve been busting my tail. But I thought it was important for me to come back,” he said at the time. Years earlier, Hines Ward sat out camp, confident that leverage would tilt his way. Both learned the same lesson… This front office won’t budge until a player walks back through the door.

That pattern has become more ruthless over time… When Hines returned just before the preseason game after holding out from training camp, talks revived almost overnight. Ward inked a four-year, $25.8 million deal less than a month later. It’s not stubbornness—it’s a deliberate approach.

The vision seems clear: if you want to sign on dotted lines, your cleats better be on the field. Fast forward to now, and TJ Watt has found himself in the same situation. He skipped the OTAs as well as the mandatory minicamp. What’s next? It’s the training camp. While folks out there expect Watt to show up at training camp, Chris Carter of Locked On Steelers still believes that TJ Watt should have been at the OTAs and minicamp to get the deal done.

“I do agree that you know it could have been beneficial for him (TJ) to be at the OTAs and minicamp,” Carter pointed out on Monday, June 30th, on Locked On Steelers. According to Carter, Watt skipping the OTAs wasn’t that big a deal. He did it back in 2021. And it’s a script we’ve seen from the Steel City legends like Troy Polamalu and Ben Roethlisberger. Still, they didn’t hurt the Steelers’ season.

However, zooming in on the fact that the Steelers won’t negotiate a contract extension when the player is holding out, and won’t show up at the team’s practices, Chris Carter is right on board that it could have been beneficial for TJ Watt to show up at the OTAs and minicamp. “Steelers do not negotiate with players until when players, when they’re doing holdouts, until they show up,” Carter said. “It’s their rule.”

It’d be odd to say that the Steelers are delaying Watt’s deal just because he didn’t show up at the OTAs or minicamp. But it’s their thing. Delaying major extensions until the regular season kicks off. And at this point, certainly, Watt will soon get this deal done. No arguments. When? Expect it before week 1 of the regular season. After all, Aaron Rodgers is also on board with the signing of TJ Watt.

Aaron Rodgers is campaigning for TJ Watt’s contract

Unlike 2021, this year felt different when we talk about TJ Watt’s contract extension. Back in 2021, when he was seeking a contract extension, he showed up at the practice sessions but used his usual ‘hold-in’ tactic. He was there, sure. But he wasn’t completely present there. Fast forward to now, and he missed the OTAs and minicamp completely. But just like four years ago, the front office has adhered to its decision to stretch the contract extension.

While folks out there are pretty confident that Watt will soon get this deal done, the biggest confidence arrived from none other than the Steelers’ quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. During his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers expressed his excitement to play against the 7x Pro Bowler in what is expected to be his last season in the NFL.

“I think that’s the thing that’s really exciting about Pittsburgh, is the built-in leadership that already exists there. Once we get our Hall of Fame outside rush-backer signed, you’re talking about another guy who’s a leader–not just by his example, but by his words,” Rodgers put it simply. Understandable. Ever since Nick Herbig arrived in the Steel City in 2023, Watt has reportedly been mentoring him for two years now. This year?

The Steelers drafted Jack Sawyer, who is already optimistic about learning from the veteran. “I’m excited to come in and learn from [Watt] and see how he goes to work,” he said. It’s safe to say that Watt, who’s seeking his next big deal, isn’t just the Steelers’ defensive leader; he’s the mentor to young players as well. And when the 41-year-old quarterback is already on board with his signing, it sends a clear message to the front office. Now, the question isn’t about whether TJ Watt will get this contract extension. It’s about when!