T.J. Watt Signs Contract Extension With Steelers, Reportedly Making Him NFL's Highest-Paid Defensive Player

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed T.J. Watt to a five-year contract. The team made it official this morning posting the news to their website and Twitter.

The deal reportedly makes the star linebacker the highest-paid defensive player in football.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the contract extension is reportedly worth more than $112 million, with $80 million fully guaranteed at signing. The average annual value is $28.003 million, Rapoport reported Thursday.

"T.J. Watt gets what's believed to be the strongest guarantee structure ever given out by the Pittsburgh Steelers -- $80 million in full guarantees, per source," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports.

ESPN's Adam Schefter says the deal is expected to be completed in the next 24 hours.

"Steelers and T.J. Watt have made "significant progress" on an extension now expected to be completed in the next 24 hours, per source. The deal will make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. "It's getting done," per source."

Schefter added that Watt told Steelers president Art Rooney II on Thursday that they had a deal.

"Steelers' OLB T.J. Watt overruled his agents who believed they could get more money today, marched into the office of Steelers president Art Rooney and told him they had a deal. Then the NFL's new highest-paid defensive player excused himself and announced he had to go work out."

On social media, Watt celebrated his new deal.

"If it's ok with Yinz, I'd like to stay a while!! LETS GO PITTSBURGH!!!!"

Watt's teammates JuJu Smith-Schuster, Joe Haden and Cam Heyward also took to Twitter to celebrate the reported deal. His brother, Derek Watt, congratulated him, too.

Related stories:

• NFL Network Ranks Steelers Linebacker TJ Watt In Top 10 Of 2021's Top 100 Players
• Report: Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt Expected To Sign Massive Contract Extension After Final Preseason Game
• Steelers Defensive Coordinator Keith Butler: T.J. Watt Not Practicing Because Of Contract

• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Football
• National Football League