Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt is Starving for a Playoff Win: ‘A Huge Thorn in My Side Since I’ve Been Here’
The Pittsburgh Steelers currently sit atop of the AFC North at 9-3. As of right now, the Steelers are one of the top contenders in the AFC with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. The goal in Pittsburgh is always to win a Super Bowl, but it feels like this could be the year that the Steelers finally snap their dreaded seven-year playoff win drought.
Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt was vocal this offseason about the fact that he hasn’t won a playoff game in his career. He reiterated that message in a one-on-one interview with DJ Siddiqi of Sports Casting on behalf of his partnership with Peloton.
“Anybody who has followed me throughout my career knows that it’s all about the team and just trying to get to the playoffs and have success when we get there,” Watt said. “I’m just trying to win games and get to the playoffs and have my first playoff win. It has been a huge thorn in my side since I’ve been here.”
The Steelers’ seven-year playoff drought is the longest for the franchise since pre-1972. They only have three players on the current roster who’ve experienced a playoff win with the Steelers — Cam Heyward, Chris Boswell and Tyler Matakevich.
Watt is 0-3 in playoff games. He was out with a knee injury in this past season’s wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers have lost five straight playoff games, dating back to the 2016 AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. They’ve allowed 202 points in those five losses, an average of 40.1 points per game.
Steelers president Art Rooney II expressed this past offseason that he’s seen enough of the Steelers losing in the playoffs.
“We’ve had enough of this,” Rooney said. “It’s time to get some wins; it’s time to take these next steps.”
General manager Omar Khan echoed Rooney’s statement at the NFL owner’s meetings in Orlando in March.
“We all share that frustration that he has,” Khan said. “We’re sitting at home during the Super Bowl and that’s not where we want to be. And I think we all share that frustration and we all know we have to be better organizationally in every department.”
The Steelers currently have a 1.5 game advantage over the Baltimore Ravens for the division lead. They have a 99% chance to make the playoffs, and their odds to host a playoff game are pretty good, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. The Steelers have a brutal five-game stretch to end the season.
“I don’t know man, it’s still early,” Watt said when asked if the 2024 Steelers are the best team he’s played on. “There’s so much football left to be played. I know it’s getting down to the end of the season, but there’s still so much that has to happen. We have basically all of our divisional games still left to play. You can ask me that in about a month.”
Unlike in recent years, the Steelers are getting elite level play from their quarterback. Russell Wilson is 5-1 as the Steelers’ starting quarterback. He has a 65.8% completion rate for 1,626 yards (8.7 YPA) 10 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 104.3 passer rating.
The Steelers also have one of the best and most respected head coaches in the NFL in Mike Tomlin. The Tomlin-Wilson duo could set up the Steelers for a playoff run.
“Any time you have Mike Tomlin at the helm, you have a great shot to begin with,” Watt said. “He’s a great motivator of men and not had a losing season since he’s been there. Obviously, that’s a great accomplishment. But being able to be a guy (Russell) that comes in in relief for Justin (Fields) and just have the depth that we’ve had, especially throughout the whole offseason with the acquisitions.”