Linebacker T.J. Watt gained the Deacon Jones Award, introduced throughout NFL Honors to the participant who leads the NFL in sacks.
Watt led the NFL in sacks in 2023 with 19, the second highest of his profession.
That is the third time Watt has gained the award, beforehand doing so when he led the league in sacks in 2020 (15) and 2021 (22.5). He’s the one participant in NFL historical past to guide the league in sacks thrice. Watt additionally grew to become the seventh participant since 1982 with a minimum of 17 sacks in two of his first seven seasons.
Watt broke the Steelers all-time sack document in the course of the 2023 season when he recorded his 81.5 profession sack in opposition to the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 of the season, breaking the document set by James Harrison.
“It’s particular,” stated Watt on the finish of the season about breaking the document. “That is the time the place now I will lastly sit again, loosen up and understand how particular this season was.
“However I simply need to hold going. I actually do. That is the very first thing that involves thoughts.”
Watt presently holds the Steelers document with 96.5 profession sacks, which is third-most in NFL historical past by a participant of their first seven seasons within the NFL.
“He can nonetheless be higher, which is loopy,” stated his older brother J.J. Watt, who retired on the finish of the 2022 season after a tremendous 12 years within the NFL. “Even simply watching movie. Now, we’re speaking about nitpicking on the highest stage. These are issues the place it is like going from a 99 to a 100. It is one little factor. However that’s the stage he has put himself at the place these are the sorts of issues we’re on movie and speak about.”
Watt gained the 101 Awards AFC Defensive Participant of the Yr for 2023, the third time in his profession he gained the consideration. He beforehand gained the consideration in 2020 and 2021.
Watt was additionally chosen a First Staff Related Press All-Professional for the fourth time in his profession, chosen to The Sporting Information All-Professional crew and named to the Professional Soccer Writers of America All-NFL and All-AFC groups.
As well as, Watt was voted to the Professional Bowl Video games for the fifth time in his profession, though he did not participate due to his finish of season harm, and was voted the Steelers 2023 MVP, the fourth time in his profession he gained that honor.
“He’s a man that loves the sport for the sport. He simply loves the sport of soccer,” stated security Minkah Fitzpatrick. “A man like that’s going to be continuously studying, continuously rising, continuously looking for methods to sharpen his weapon. He’s a man that at all times does that.
“The outcomes that we see are due to the mentality that he has, the fervour that he has for the sport. I do not assume there may be something that he can accomplish that may change the way in which he approaches his day-to-day.”
The success Watt has would not come as a shock to Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin, who thinks that Watt is simply wired otherwise.
“Some individuals watch tape, some individuals examine tape. And there is a distinction,” stated Tomlin. “Nonetheless you describe the spectrum, T.J. is on the intense finish of it from a preparedness standpoint. And that is one of many explanation why you get the manufacturing that you simply get from him past his freakish expertise.
“He was at all times like that in mentality. I feel the extent of productiveness from that endeavor grows along with his expertise, it will get extra pointed, he wastes much less time. I might simply inform by the dialogue that he and I’ve and the way it has matured through the years that his course of is being honed to a advantageous edge.”
