Back in 2021, you could tell something was brewing that summer in the Steel City. TJ Watt was around but not really around, walking that tightrope between “team-first” and “I-know-my-worth.” The Steelers‘ LB was doing individual drills like he was warming up for a solo contract, and the rest of us were just awkwardly humming along. Everyone kept pretending it wasn’t a big deal, but c’mon. We all felt that weird contract energy in the air.

And the weirdest part? Nobody blinked. Not the Steelers, not Watt, and definitely not the fans. By the time paperwork showed up, the offseason was over, and the regular season was there. Silver lining? The Steelers gave him the biggest deal ever for a defensive player—$112 million, $80 million guaranteed. The man wrote the rulebook without saying a word. Just showed up, didn’t participate in any drills, and got paid.

Fast forward to now, and suddenly we’re getting a Déjà vu. Watt has found himself in the contract negotiations. Once again. The Steelers aren’t paying him this offseason. Once again. And yes, he’s probably missing the team’s OTAs this week. You got it, once again. Why? Because Watt wants a contract extension. Now, get this, his absence is catching attention. And not just any attention.

The Steelers’ legend, Ben Roethlisberger, is back at his podcast, where he talked about the quarterback situation in the Steel City and the OTAs. See, Big Ben believes that at this stage of his career, it won’t be surprising if Watt misses out on the OTAs. “I’m sure TJ’s not going to be at OTAs,” he noted. Why? Yes, because there’s contract stuff going on. “No one’s going to think twice if TJ’s not at OTAs. Um, I would never expect Troy or James Harrison or any of those guys to be at OTA at this point in their career.”

The plot thickened as he went on and addressed Watt’s contract situation, straight-up admitting that the Steelers will soon give Watt his contract extension. “Obviously, I know there’s some contract stuff. I think that they’ll hopefully they’ll get it done. You know, they’ll have to see what happens there, but it’d be smart and prudent to get it done with your leader, your captain.” Well, it’s pretty much certain that TJ Watt will get a deal.

But the way things are shaping up, it seems like Watt might repeat his potential hold-in during the Steelers’ offseason. He has already done it in 2021. And he’s probably going for it this year as well. First step? Missing out on the OTAs. After all, he’s looking for a massive payday.

TJ Watt is looking to surpass Myles Garrett’s contract

This offseason, the edge rushers have been stacking some pretty chunks of money. We’ve seen the Raiders handing over Maxx Crosby a sweet three-year, $106.5 million deal. Then there are the Browns and Myles Garrett. After months of trade drama, the guy hit the ball outta of the park, inking a gigantic four-year, $160 million extension, including a $123.5 million guaranteed..

But while these guys are stacking up some serious money, T.J. Watt is still out there waiting for the paperwork to show up. And the rumor mill has been buzzing that the 30-year-old LB is seeking to surpass Garrett’s contract, specifically his guaranteed money. And that’s where it gets pretty interesting. See, if the Steelers hadn’t played the waiting game and had offered Watt his contract extension, then the whole situation could have been avoided. Especially before Crosby’s contract.

But here we are. Crosby got a deal, so did Garrett. The result? The market value has risen for Watt. And get this, if the Cowboys offered Micah Parsons his contract extension before the Steelers do a deal with Watt, it’s going to get messier. Parsons is seeking a $200 million contract. And if he does get this deal, you know what’s going to happen in the Steel City.

Long story short: the contract extension is coming for TJ Watt. When is it coming, and how much will it be worth? We’ve no clue. But one thing’s for sure: with each passing day and each deal in the NFL, the market value is rising. Sure, the Steelers are probably not going to go above and beyond what the marketplace is, but we’ll see.