After Mike Tomlin's departure, the Steelers are urged to part ways with T.J. Watt after his dismal 2025 NFL season.

Steelers Urged to Cut Ties With T.J. Watt After Mike Tomlin’s Exit

Just two seasons ago, suggesting the Steelers trade one Defensive Player of the Year would have been heresy. But after another early playoff exit, that’s exactly the conversation one Pittsburgh insider is starting about T.J. Watt. After the Wild Card Round exit, several Steelers players are being reconsidered. According to one journalist, the franchise should consider trading T.J. Watt [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/tj-watt/] ahead of the 2026 season. “First off, there’s no denying his production has waned,” Steelers beat writer Brian Batko wrote on X as per Blitzburgh. “There’s also not one, not two, but three younger edge rushers behind him in the pecking order who are either playing great now, have a bright future, or both. That contract is a real albatross.” The slide has been hard to ignore. The raw numbers tell the story clearly: total tackles have dipped from 48 in 2023 to 40 in 2024, before falling again to just 32 in 2025. The drop-off has been even sharper in pass-rush impact, where sacks declined from an elite 19 to 11.5, and then down to seven this past season. His sack total this season was less than a third of his career best (22.5). T.J. Watt signed one of the biggest non-quarterback contracts in NFL history ahead of the 2025 NFL season signed a four-year, $123 million contract, which included a $108 million in guaranteed money. Given his hefty price tag, Mike Tomlin had high expectations for the linebacker, but his production told a different story. Additionally, the 31-year-old had three forced fumbles this season, which was the third-lowest number of his NFL career. His 2025 campaign was also disrupted by a lung injury, derailing his momentum by missing three games. Given the mismatch between his performance and paycheck, offloading the 31-year-old could perhaps be the best option for the Steelers [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/]. With young edge rushers like Nick Herbig showing progress, they could hand the baton to newer players. Although they might want to trade up to reinforce their defense, too, with no player going into double-digit sacks this season. In any case, other personalities have cited concerns about Watt as well. COLIN COWHERD ALSO THINKS THE STEELERS SHOULD TRADE T.J. WATT Brian Batko isn’t the only one who thinks the veteran linebacker should be traded. In fact, one FOX Sports’ personality had this idea a long time ago. Colin Cowherd recently reminded people that he had urged the six-time Super Bowl Champions to trade. Trading the expensive T.J. Watt would free up cap space, allowing the team to focus on securing a quarterback amid Aaron Rodgers’ uncertain future [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nfl-active-news-steeelers-aaron-rodgers-closest-friend-confirms-steelers-qbs-retirement-stance-after-tearful-mike-tomlin-farewell/] in the league. “A couple of years ago, when I said I’d move T.J. Watt and get more picks, that was outrageous,” Cowherd said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd show [https://www.foxnews.com/sports/steelers-should-trade-star-tj-watt-after-playoff-loss-colin-cowherd-says]. “Any of these coaches, you’ve gotta have the quarterback, right? They don’t have a quarterback.” Following Mike Tomlin’s departure, the Pittsburgh Steelers will face a new challenge with a new head coach and a new setup. To bolster the offense next season, the Steelers need a reliable quarterback, and Watt’s exit could give them the financial flexibility to get one. 

Aadesh Dhote is a editor at the NFL desk at EssentiallySports. He holds a Master’s degree in English Literature and brings over five years of experience in creative and digital content domains. Aadesh specializes in narrative-focused editorial work and script analysis, enhancing trending NFL news with depth, structure, and a fresh editorial voice. Outside of work, he is a published poet and screenwriter who actively engages with the creative community. 

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Steelers Urged to Cut Ties With T.J. Watt After Mike Tomlin’s Exit - EssentiallySports

>T.J. Watt’s production has declined sharply, raising trade speculation.
>Steelers have younger edge rushers ready to step into prominent roles.
>High salary vs. output mismatch makes Watt a potential cap casualty.

Steelers Urged to Cut Ties With T.J. Watt After Mike Tomlin’s Exit

Steelers Urged to Cut Ties With T.J. Watt After Mike Tomlin’s Exit

Colin Cowherd also thinks the Steelers should trade T.J. Watt