T.J. Watt wasted no time making headlines in Dublin. The Pittsburgh Steelers star linebacker snagged his first interception of 2025 in style. A one-handed grab off a deflection from defensive end Cam Heyward that set the Steelers up deep in Minnesota territory at the 34-yard line. Carson Wentz never saw it coming as the Steelers defense scored a 24-21 win over the Vikings.

For the past several seasons, Watt and Heyward have been the backbone of Pittsburgh’s front seven. Together, they’ve stacked All-Pro nods, Pro Bowls, and plenty of game-wrecking performances. It’s the daily grind and the camaraderie that make them feel like brothers. That connection was on display overseas. After Watt’s highlight interception, a reporter asked Heyward if his teammate might have another career lined up punting, given the celebration.

Heyward didn’t miss a beat. “He’d be a better bartender,” the veteran cracked, before doubling down that TJ Watt should stick to outside linebacker.

It’s the kind of back-and-forth that has defined their friendship. Back in 2023, Watt told NBC’s Peter King that Heyward is his “professional brother,” explaining, “I have brothers that have played in the NFL, but it’s different when you’re around someone in the building each and every day who you have that camaraderie with, who you can joke around with. And you can also, at the end of the day, focus on the work and the task at hand.”

Steelers history has always been shaped by those bonds—Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel, James Farrior and Larry Foote, Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark. TJ Watt and Heyward are the modern-day version of that legacy. Of course, Watt’s family name already carries weight. His brothers Derek Watt and J.J. Watt both carved out their own NFL careers, with J.J. cementing himself as a Hall of Famer. But what T.J. has built in Pittsburgh is its own story.

Watt has played 9 seasons for the Steelers. 341 solo tackles, 140 assists, 111 sacks, and 13 fumble recoveries. Add on to this 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Yes, retirement chatter has started to swirl around Watt. But if Dublin proved anything, it’s that Pittsburgh isn’t ready for life after No. 90, but maybe Watt has a plan outside the NFL.

TJ Watt’s first love was hockey

There was a time when T.J. Watt thought his future would unfold on the ice, not the gridiron. Growing up in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, alongside his brothers, TJ Watt would spend hours in the cul-de-sac with skates strapped tight and a hockey stick in hand. By age two, he was hooked. He worked his way up until he finally cracked an AAA squad, but only for reality to hit. With a firefighter dad, a blue-collar mom, and two other hockey-loving sons, the costs of the sport were too heavy. Watt’s dream ended almost as quickly as it had started.

On In Depth With Graham Bensinger earlier this month, Watt recalled how crushing it felt: “I loved hockey. I really did. Still to this day, [I] love hockey. I finally made AAA, and like I said before, it was … such a tough sport to have three boys because you’re at different levels and you’re getting pulled different directions,” Watt said. “And by the time I even got my breezers, the jersey, and everything, [a] kid came and knocked on the freaking door, and it was like, I have to hand over my breezers and my jersey to this kid.”

But while hockey didn’t pan out, TJ Watt has never really let it go. He even admitted what his post-NFL plan might look like: “I think beer league would be the most fun to do after I’m done playing.” Anyone who’s seen his competitive fire, whether on the field or in the viral 2023 clip of him grinding NHL on his console, knows he’d take it seriously.

For now, though, retirement talk is on pause. The Steelers made sure of that in July, handing Watt a three-year, $123 million extension. The richest non-quarterback deal in NFL history at the time. Can 2025 be the year of Watt’s return to dominance, one that won’t make us see him quit on football?