The Steelers' latest playoff defeat extended their postseason losing streak to five games and eight seasons. For perhaps the first time during this drought, folks in Pittsburgh are considering all options.
T.J. Watt is among them. The All-Pro edge rusher and 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year expressed disappointment with Pittsburgh's Wild Card loss to the rival Baltimore Ravens and pointed to it as yet another letdown that informed him change is needed.
"It gets more and more frustrating as the years go by," Watt said, via The Athletic's Mike DeFabo. "Tough conversations need to be had. We can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results. That's starting with myself."
Watt's performance has largely been as consistent as possible during his career with the Steelers, including seven Pro Bowl nods, four All-Pro selections, the aforementioned Defensive Player of the Year honor and perennial consideration for the award. He's known as a game wrecker, but since joining the Steelers in 2017, he's yet to enjoy the sweet taste of playoff victory.
Watt turned 30 in October. He knows he doesn't have forever to wait for the Steelers to finally figure out how to succeed in the postseason.
"It's tough. Sit here same time as last year, same time have been in this scrum," Watt said. "Same questions, and I had the same answers. Obviously, I'm very frustrated with how things ended. That's not just with the last game, that's with the last month of football. It's a collection of things and it starts with myself. I need to play better. We need to play better.
"There's not one thing that needs to be fixed here. There's a lot of things. But it starts internally with myself. Need to play better in bigger moments. It'll be a long offseason to have to sit with that."
He isn't wrong. Watt all but disappeared from the on-field formula in the final month, going without a sack in his final four games for the first time in his career. He also ended the season with zero tackles and zero QB hits in his last two games.
There's no easy fix for these Steelers, who managed to extract 10 wins from a team that didn't have a firm answer at quarterback entering 2024. Their offense lacked juice over their final five games (all losses), but their defense was arguably worse.
The fashion in which the Steelers lost to the Ravens might be the most alarming detail. Baltimore ran for 299 yards in the Saturday triumph, the most rushing yards gained by a team in a playoff game since the 2013 San Francisco 49ers. For a franchise that traditionally prides itself on defense, the showing was embarrassing.
"I don't know. We need to win football games," Watt said. "We need to find ways to stop the run and play effective defense and go from there. I don't have all the answers as we sit here right now as to what needs to change."
Watt's tone sounded eerily similar to that of another AFC North star, Cleveland's Myles Garrett, who closed a massively underwhelming 2024 season by applying pressure to the Browns' front office, demanding a concrete plan for how the club intends to improve before committing to them. Watt seems more inclined to stay with his team, but also knows some changes may be ahead.
"I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler," Watt said. "You guys know that. I don't want to leave this place, especially in this (state).
"I want to be part of the solution. I've put so much into it here. I've seen so many guys. I want to help Cam Heyward get to where we need to get. I want to be a part of the solution. I don't want to leave this place. I love the people here, and that goes beyond just the coaches. It's the fan base, it's the people, the community. We owe it to them to get it right. And I want to be part of the solution. Not leave here, go somewhere else."
There's no questioning Watt's loyalty to the Steelers, but it's fair to wonder whether the franchise's leadership is similarly dedicated. They've grasped at straws to fix the quarterback situation since the end of the Ben Roethlisberger era, and although Russell Wilson did a fine job of helping them reach the double-digit mark in wins, it became painfully clear he's not a long-term answer, either.
Perhaps that is where the Steelers start when addressing their problems. But Wilson doesn't play defense. After investing heavily in that side of the ball, the Steelers haven't received a proper return. It will be up to general manager Omar Khan to make the right decisions in order to position the Steelers better entering 2025.
Watt intends to be there for it. There's no guarantee now, though, that they'll deliver.
