It’s Time to Stop Overrating Team Success When It Comes to Grading Individual Player Legacy

When confronted with the topic of a specific player’s greatness, too often the question “Well, what has he won,” comes into play. I see it all the time on Social Media from fans, pundits, and experts alike. Recently on X, I responded to a claim that the Steelers’ lack of postseason success in recent years somehow hurts T.J. Watt’s individual legacy. My stance was simple:

“Is that TJ’s legacy? Or the team’s legacy in that span? We often conflate team results with individual player production, especially as Steelers fans, because we associate Hall of Fame players with championship teams. But these are two separate legacies.”

And I stand by that. In fact, I believe team success is overrated when evaluating individual player legacies, particularly in football—a sport that demands a complex interplay between individual brilliance and team functionality.

The Difference Between Team Legacy and Player Legacy

T.J. Watt’s career so far is nothing short of historic. He tied Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record. He has been an NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a perennial All-Pro, and a force that opposing offenses must game-plan around every single week

And yet, the Steelers have not advanced past the Wild Card round during his tenure.

Does this diminish Watt’s standing as one of the best to ever play his position? Absolutely not.

Football, unlike basketball, is not a sport where one player can consistently take over games and single-handedly win championships. Even the most dominant players can only control their role. A pass rusher cannot throw touchdowns. A linebacker cannot dictate an offensive game plan. An offensive tackle cannot prevent the defense from giving up points.

This is why individual greatness should be judged within the context of what a player can control—their preparation, their consistency, their peak performance, and their ability to impact games within their position.

Take Joe Thomas, for example. Thomas spent his entire career with the Cleveland Browns, a franchise that, during his tenure, was in perpetual rebuild mode, rotating quarterbacks, coaches, and front-office staff while compiling loss after loss.

Thomas played 10,363 consecutive snaps and made 10 consecutive Pro Bowls. He was arguably the best left tackle of his generation. Yet, the Browns’ team failures never overshadowed Thomas’s greatness. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot, and rightfully so, because the Hall recognizes individual greatness regardless of team record.

Barry Sanders is another prime example. One of the most electrifying players in NFL history, Sanders made defenders miss in ways that still defy explanation. Yet, the Detroit Lions never won a Super Bowl with Sanders, nor did they reach the heights a talent like Barry seemingly deserved.

Would anyone say Barry Sanders isn’t one of the greatest running backs of all time simply because his team didn’t win it all? Of course not.

His greatness was evident every Sunday he played, and the lack of a championship ring does not diminish the breathtaking impact he had on the game and the joy he brought to fans.

Perhaps the most well-known example is Dan Marino. Marino redefined the quarterback position with his quick release and prolific passing. He threw for over 61,000 yards and 420 touchdowns in his career and made the Miami Dolphins perennial contenders in the AFC during the 1980s and 1990s.

Yet, he never won a Super Bowl.

Is Dan Marino’s legacy tarnished by this? No. Marino is widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. His individual excellence and the standard he set for passing in the NFL are what define his legacy, not the absence of a ring.

Returning to T.J. Watt: yes, the Steelers have underperformed in the playoffs during his tenure. Yes, as Steelers fans, we are conditioned to evaluate greatness through the lens of championships because of the franchise’s historic success.

But two truths can exist simultaneously:

1. The Steelers have fallen short in the postseason during this era.
2. T.J. Watt is a Hall of Fame player, one of the most dominant edge rushers of his generation, and among the best to ever do it at his position.

These are separate conversations.

Final Thoughts: Celebrate Greatness Where It Is

Team success is undeniably important in the NFL, but it should not overshadow or redefine an individual’s legacy. Football is the ultimate team sport, with layers of dependency that even the greatest talents cannot overcome on their own.

When we evaluate a player’s legacy, we should focus on what they brought to the field, the fear they instilled in opponents, the consistency they maintained, and the excellence they displayed within their role.

T.J. Watt deserves to be celebrated for his individual greatness, regardless of the Steelers’ recent playoff shortcomings. As fans and analysts, it is our responsibility to recognize and honor greatness wherever it appears—even if the ultimate team prize remains elusive.