T.J. Watt not in attendance for Steelers minicamp as he seeks new deal
The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for their first day of Mandatory Minicamp, and excitement is high with it being the first time media, and fans, will get to see Aaron Rodgers donning the black-and-gold. It will also be the first time those same individuals get to see DK Metcalf doing football-like things after he missed Phase III of Organized Team Activities (OTAs).
But not everything is sunshine and rainbows for the Steelers organization as it is being reported that All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt is going to miss minicamp as he awaits a new contract.
This per Adam Schefter of ESPN:
Steelers standout edge rusher T.J. Watt, also seeking a new contract, is not attending Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 10, 2025
With Watt missing minicamp, he will be subject to fines from the team for not being in attendance. The amount of these fines is unknown, and the Steelers don’t have to enforce them. Players have missed minicamp before in the past and been given an “excused” absence for whatever reason.
Are the Steelers and Watt “close” on a deal? It is being reported they aren’t, but in negotiations those things can change quickly.
With that said, when you look at Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals also holding out of minicamp, it seems to be a pass rusher stare down between the player and their respective teams. Who will blink first? Who will be the first to ink a new deal? Only time will tell, but Watt is doing everything in his power to get the best deal possible for himself. When you look at his age, you can understand why he might one more mega deal before he starts to age himself out of deals similar to the one he is seeking.
Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as Mandatory Minicamp kicks off Tuesday thru Thursday this week.
You don’t have a QB salary for the foreseeable future, if you want him to retire a Steeler pay him a million more than Garrett, and let’s go.
This will be an unpopular statement, but it holds to my philosophy that it’s better to move a player a couple years too early than a couple too late. If you’re serious about getting “that” QB trade him now. Either way I don’t see why this should linger.
I agree. You what the deal needs to be so make it happen or trade him.
Not doing things this way is the trust the Steelers have built among players and agents in the NFL for decades. Why would they destroy that all now? It’s not like Pittsburgh is the most attractive city to play football. This is part of the allure for players to come, along with Mike Tomlin.
Geez Dave, I take it that you’ve not been to Cincinnati, that hurts!
I get the romanticism of “playing for Steelers” but I am not sure that it exists on the level that it used to. Honest to God, the only player in recent times that I can recall coming to play for the Steelers at less than market value is…….Aaron Rodgers. Even that can probably be chalked up to the Steelers’ situation at QB more than anything else.
Being wanted by the Steelers didn’t do much
for Justin Fields. Brandon Aiyuk last year too for that matter. DK Metcalf sure
didn’t allow the privilege of playing for the Steelers lower his asking price
at all.
Perhaps I am way too cynical (which is a
sincere possibility), but I think that paying players the most money will get
them to any team regardless of team reputation. If the Steelers traded TJ Watt,
I have doubts that it would change their ability to do business in any way.
I am not sure why that text came out all goobered up. I posted the same as I always do.
It may not be the AAV, but the guaranteed money, at this point.
a true Pittsburgh Sttelers fan, since the 70’s this make me mad as a Steelers fan Steelers owner Arthur Joseph Rooney ll wasted his time and money chasing Aaron Rodgers insead Arthur Joseph Rooney ll should’ve use his time and money giving T.J. Watt a new contract
Please read the salary cap update article on Rodgers. I mentioned you by name and asked you to please stop repeating this incorrect information over and over. The money for Rodgers (because it is all this year) has nothing to do and in no way inhibits signing TJ Watt. This is because the cap hit for Watt will actually go down for 2025 and the values for 2026 and beyond will be high (when Rodgers is NOT under contract). You keep saying the same blatantly wrong thing which is making you look foolish.
I’m not overly concerned. We’ve been down this road before, and after reading Dave’s salary cap article, I’m 99.99999999999999% positive something will get done in the near future.
They’ve done more with less, so it’s just a matter of time in my opinion.
(I find it hilarious that local Pittsburgh sports media is blowing it way out of proportion by calling the team cheap, lol.)
Agreed. Both parties want to get it done. They like to keep players of Watt’s caliber lifelong Steelers.