TJ Watt’s contract battle just hit a new low in Pittsburgh. The three‑time All‑Pro skipped all three days of mandatory minicamp, letting the Steelers feel the empty edge of their defense while negotiations crawl forward. Head coach Mike Tomlin watched other players silently as fines north of  $104,000 stack up. Fans wonder if Watt’s absence could disrupt the training camp. Money and timing sit at the heart of the stalemate.

Watt is due a $21.05 million base salary in 2025, the final year of the four‑year, $112 million extension he signed in 2021. That deal once made him the league’s richest defender at $28 million per season, but the market has erupted since, leaving his annual cash lagging behind newer megadeals. Enter Myles Garrett’s monster four‑year, $160 million pact, $40 million per year, $123.5 million guaranteed, which now stands as the non‑QB gold standard.

Steelers Hall of Famer Rod Woodson appeared on the June 12 episode of Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams, where he requested that the franchise has to break tradition and rip up TJ Watt’s current contract. The legend said, “They normally don’t tear those contracts up and redo them. But I think you should really hardly think about it. And he should be one of the highest-paid players at his position, if not the highest-paid player at the position outside of the quarterback.” Okay, but is that demand valid?

Woodson’s bottom line: paying Watt top‑of‑market money isn’t just fairness, it’s a locker‑room signal that Pittsburgh still takes care of its legends. Watt’s leverage is carved in stone: 108 career sacks, 33 forced fumbles, and a league‑leading six strips last season alone. As the legend goes, “When he’s not there, they don’t look like the same football team.” Every missed practice reminds the front office that their defense loses its teeth without No. 90 on the edge.

Now that the Steelers are looking forward to an action-packed offseason after Aaron Rodgers‘s arrival, they also need to sort out the contract situation of their defensive star.

Mike Tomlin stays positive about TJ Watt

Even after all the drama that we saw about the extension, HC Mike Tomlin insists optimism rules the room. Watt skipped all three days of minicamp, a rare move for a leader of his stature. It wasn’t a loud protest. Instead, it was business and a signal that the clock is ticking. With just one year left on the deal that made him the league’s highest-paid defender back in 2021, Watt wants a market reset.

Talking to the reporters after their minicamp ended, the coach was positive. He said, “I’m optimistic we’re going to get things done because we got two sides that want to get things done. When that’s going to occur. I do not know.” The timeline is what makes everyone anxious.

If TJ Watt doesn’t join the team soon, it can offset their defense. After the brutal elimination in 2024, the black and the gold wouldn’t want it to happen again. But there is no urgency on display. And it could make matters worse for both sides. Remember, the locker room was already tension-heavy with rumors about their QB. But those have settled, leaving Watt’s deal the only piece of contention.

Where does it land? Expect a deal surpassing Garrett’s $40 million average, heavy on guarantees and cash pushed into the first three seasons. If Pittsburgh blinks first, Watt arrives at Latrobe as the NFL’s new defensive kingpin. If they don’t, the holdout could stretch into preseason, and the Steelers will learn fast how expensive life without TJ Watt can get.