By Joe Rutter
November 2, 2017
The measuring stick for T.J. Watt stands an inch taller and is about 40 pounds heavier, but it might as well have the dimensions of the U.S. Steel Tower.
When you're the younger brother of three-time defensive player of the year J.J. Watt and play on the same side of the ball, expectations are on a grander scale than for most NFL rookies. Living up to them can be more taxing than the IRS code.
“He feels like he can't do anything right,” Steelers outside linebacker coach Joey Porter said about his first-year pupil. “I try to tell him you're playing good, don't worry about it.”
No worries necessary.
Halfway through his rookie season, T.J. Watt is entrenched as a starter at right outside linebacker for the Steelers. He is tied for second on the team in sacks and ranks second among all NFL rookies in that category. He has also shown an ability to stop the run and drop into pass coverage, requirements of an outside linebacker in the Steelers' 3-4 scheme.
It's a promising start to an NFL career to be sure, but perhaps not when you grew up in the shadow of big brother J.J., the 6-foot-5, 290-pound wrecking ball for the Houston Texans who is out for the season with a leg injury.
T.J also came through the Pewaukee (Wisc.) High School pipeline after yet another brother, Derek, a fullback with the Los Angeles Chargers.
“From his background and where the family comes from, I'm pretty sure he's getting criticism from home,” Porter said, “so he's always going to do a little more.”
His older brothers may be in his ear, but T.J. said that is not what is driving him to excel in his rookie season.
“I'm my biggest critic,” he said. “If I'm not, then something is wrong. I always want to play better.”
Watt's four sacks are the most among Steelers outside linebackers and trail team leader Cam Heyward by one. Only Heyward has more quarterback pressures. Watt's 28 tackles are sixth on the team, and he has one of the Steelers' five interceptions.
“He's done good,” said left outside linebacker Bud Dupree, who has three sacks. “Everyone wants to do better. With circumstances and the way the defense is designed, he's doing everything we've asked him to do.”
Like most rookies, Watt has experienced some pains — growing and injury-related. After opening the season with two sacks against Cleveland, Watt had just one over his next four starts. He also missed the third game of the season with a groin injury that continues to be bothersome.
“I tell him the plays are going to come. Some days it just happens like that,” Porter said. “As far as his progression, he's on track to play good football and he's been playing good football.”
Watt plans to take it easy during the Steelers' bye. He will spend the off week resting.
“I've been going pretty much since rookie minicamp and (even before) when I was training for the combine and the draft,” Watt said. “It's good to get a week where I can get my body back and not have to focus on an opponent.”
Watt has impressed Porter with the way he has played through his injury.
“He's a tough guy,” Porter said. “If (injuries) are holding him back, he'd never use it as an excuse. That's what I love about him. He knows if he's going to be out there, he's going to be judged by how he's doing on the field.
“If he was injured or did have a knick-knack, I won't use it because he won't use it. As long as he goes out there on the football field, it doesn't matter what you've got going on (with injuries). It doesn't count anyway. Nobody wants to hear about that once you take the field.”
Watt has played perhaps more than anticipated. When the Steelers selected him with their first-round draft pick, they were filling the spot vacated when they let underachieving outside linebacker Jarvis Jones walk in free agency. With 39-year-old James Harrison under contract, the Steelers didn't need to rush Watt into the lineup.
Yet Watt was anointed the starter midway through training camp, and he has started every game when healthy.
“We drafted him to come and play,” Porter said. “It's not like he's not playing good football. He's done everything we've asked him to do.”
And he has already done more than J.J. this season. J.J. Watt didn't have any sacks in five games prior to his season-ending leg fracture. T.J. Watt needs just two sacks to surpass his brother's total of 5 1⁄2 sacks from his rookie season with the Texans.
“It's amazing to watch that guy grow,” Porter said about T.J. “There's still a lot left that he hasn't shown yet. I'm looking forward to the second half of the season to show everybody what he can do.”
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jrutter@tribweb.com or via Twitter@tribjoerutter.
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