No one knows what Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt really meant by his now infamous “peace sign” Instagram post. Many think that Watt was saying “peace out” because his contract negotiations are going poorly.
That was roughly the interpretation of both “Pat McAfee Show” Steelers’ correspondent Mark Kaboly and the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
From @GMFB: Evaluating TJ Watt’s cryptic instagram post. pic.twitter.com/MjaIzArgeA
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 10, 2025
After talking to people, I'd keep an eye on this #Steelers T.J. Watt contract situation moving forward a little more closely. It doesn't appear that the IG picture (below) he posted yesterday was just by chance. I'd imagine an extension is still going to eventually get done, but… pic.twitter.com/OdPLn1H1jB
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) April 10, 2025
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network advanced a different idea. He thinks Watt might have been letting us know he is fatigued by the ongoing quarterback uncertainty between his franchise and Aaron Rodgers.
Tom Pelissero makes it sound like TJ Watt is not a fan of the Steelers bringing in Aaron Rodgers. Or the way this is going down with Rodgers. ???? pic.twitter.com/2qaD6RfnCh
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 10, 2025
Here’s an idea. It could be both.
Maybe the Steelers’ offer to Watt is significantly less than he wants because they are allocating too much for Rodgers. Or, perhaps discussions with Watt’s agents have been slow because they are waiting on Rodgers to sign first and Watt is getting impatient.
Regardless, for those Steelers fans who are trying to make themselves feel better about the situation by insisting that Watt’s post means nothing, well, then why hasn’t he come out and explained it yet?
Short of Watt clearing things up directly, why not his brother, J.J.? He is seemingly willing to be a public relations agent for T.J. any other time he deems it necessary.
The likelihood is, in one way or another, Watt would probably like his extension to be done by now. After all, Myles Garrett already extended his deal with Cleveland this offseason for $123.5 million guaranteed and an average salary of $40 million per year.
Not to mention Maxx Crosby just signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with Las Vegas ($91.5 million guaranteed) at an average salary of $35.5 million per year in March.
I’m not going to start clutching pearls over this. That’s mainly because I never wanted the Steelers to just fork over whatever Watt wanted and hand him a blank check.
Why should they? Because the Browns and Raiders did that for Garrett and Crosby? I don’t think a business model to follow within NFL circles is, “Just do whatever Cleveland does!”
Frankly, if Watt is going to demand as much — or more than — Garrett, it’s unwise to extend him at all. No team should be giving a 30-year-old pass rusher another nine-figure contract when he has so often ended seasons compromised or unable to play due to injuries. Furthermore, despite Watt’s numerous individual accolades, team success in the playoffs has never followed suit.
If all Watt wants is one penny more than Garrett, the prudent thing to do (if no one is offering a worthy trade package for him) is to go through this season and sign him next year.
That’s if Watt actually finishes 2025 healthy and productive.
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If all that matters is being paid the most of any player at the position, the organization can accomplish that just as easily (if not more easily) next year if Rodgers is one-and-done after 2025 and the Steelers (probably) have a rookie QB on the books.
Didn’t Watt provide an impassioned soliloquy about wanting to remain in Pittsburgh just three months ago?
“I want to be part of the solution,” Watt said on locker clean-out day in January. “I don’t want to leave this place. I love the people here. 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.”
I didn’t read “at the right price” anywhere. Did you?
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Is there anything wrong with the Steelers making Watt live up to those words without bidding against themselves while he is still under a valid contract in order to do so?
Then again, I guess that’s always the case when NFL players talk about wanting to be “one-helmet guys.”
Sure they do. So long as their drafting team is always the highest bidder for their services.
However, the Steelers don’t like their star players to feel uncomfortable. As a result, I’d be stunned if Watt’s contract isn’t extended before the start of the regular season. It took until Sept. 9, just days before the 2021 season opener, to get Watt’s last extension done. Things got tense with Cameron Heyward last year before his contract was restructured. This is standard operating procedure.
I have no problem with the Steelers operating on a schedule that isn’t strictly on “T.J. time.”As of now, he’s got one more year before he can officially “peace out” anyway.
There’s plenty of time for more cryptic social media posts between now and then. Maybe someday we’ll get one with a little context.