T.J. Watt Makes NFL History with Sack vs. Cowboys

Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt made NFL history with a half-sack in the first quarter of Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. With the sack, Watt not only joins the 100-sack club, but he also became the second-fastest player to reach 100 sacks, behind only Hall of Famer Reggie White, who did it in 96 games. Watt accomplished the feat in 109 career games.

On the sack, Watt beat right tackle Terrence Steele off the edge and forced a fumble on Dak Prescott, which was recovered by fellow outside linebacker Nick Herbig at the Cowboys 20-yard line. Watt split the sack with Herbig.

Watt is already the Steelers’ all-time sack leader with 99.5 sacks in 107 career games. He broke James Harrison’s record (80.5) in Week 2 of last year. Watt is the third player since 1982 with 100 sacks before turning 30.

Watt came into Sunday’s game with 12 tackles (7 solos), three sacks, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass defended. He had a sack in each of the first three games before being shutout in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. Ahead of Week 5, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was tabbed the favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year at +325 odds versus T.J. Watt’s +350. Hutchinson leads the league in sacks with 6.5.

Watt took over in the Steelers’ Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He had one sack but two strip sacks were negated due to penalties. An official admitted that he got it wrong on one of the penalties, the play where Watt timed the snap perfectly. Watt’s NFL DPOY odds went from +700 to +420, making him the new favorite after Week 1.

J.J. Watt praised his brother T.J. during the NFL on CBS pregame show recently. He believes he’ll shatter all of his records. T.J. is on pace to demolish J.J.’s career sack number (114.5).

“If he stays healthy, he’s gonna surpass every single record I’ve ever set… Kid’s incredible,” J.J. Watt said.

J.J. welcomed T.J. to the 100-sack club on X.

With another NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, Watt would become the second Steelers player in franchise history to win DPOY twice, joining legend Joe Greene (1972, 1974). Watt won DPOY in 2021 when he tied the NFL single-season sack record with 22.5.

Injuries derailed his 2022 campaign, but Watt got edged out by Myles Garrett for the DPOY award in 2023. Many would argue that Watt was snubbed given that he had better stats than Garrett in almost every major defensive statistic category.