For the sixth time over the past nine seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers went one-and-done in the playoffs. That stretch began with the start of the career of T.J. Watt in 2017.
Adding on a defeat in the AFC Championship game at the end of the 2016 season, the Steelers’ postseason losing streak hit seven with Monday night’s 30-6 wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans.
Can Watt identify a common link between the half-dozen defeats that he’s been a part of in the playoffs?
“No clue,” the star outside linebacker said late Monday night at Acrisure Stadium.
In truth, Watt himself is one of the few links throughout (most of) the Steelers’ streak of playoff futility. The only players left on the roster from its beginning are Watt, kicker Chris Boswell and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward.
Sullen and speaking softly in monotone after this most recent playoff loss, Watt was in no mood to give his opinion on what must change for the Steelers to reverse their postseason misfortunes.
“I haven’t had the answer for a long time,” Watt said, “so don’t ask me.”
Watt’s stat line Monday credited him with a fumble recovery and a QB hit in addition to six tackles (three solo). It was his second game back from missing three because of a partially collapsed lung as the result of a mishap during a dry needling session at the Steelers facility.
Like he did after his comeback game eight days prior, Watt said he “felt good” and appeared to handle a typical workload on defense.
“Man, I don’t care about the adversity that I went through,” Watt said. “This is…
“Sitting up here again (after a playoff loss), same story.”
Watt turned 31 in October. A former four-time AP NFL All Pro, his sack production this season tied for his lowest for any season in which he played more than 10 games. He had seven sacks both as a rookie in 2017 and this season.
Over the past 19 games he’s played (including playoffs), Watt has seven sacks.
About six months removed from signing a three-year, $123 million contract extension, Watt heads into an offseason preparing for Year No. 10 in the NFL. Though he was named to the Pro Bowl roster for an eighth consecutive season, the injury-shortened 2022 season joined 2025 as Watt’s only seasons since 2019 that he was not part of the AP’s first- or second-team All Pro honors.
As he continues to play into his 30s, is Watt’s preparation and training changing to keep up?
“It’s always evolving,” Watt said. “I’m going to have to take a hard look in the mirror. Continue to evolve and do things differently.
“But I’m going to take this (loss) in, man. This sucks.”