The T.J. Watt passive holdout has reached critical mass.
He still hasn’t signed an extension.
He still isn’t a full participant in practice.
The sticking point appears to be that the Steelers won’t guarantee money beyond the first year. That’s their long-held policy. The Steelers might be flinching at $100 million guaranteed, too.
Watt’s status for Week 1 at Buffalo is in doubt.
Watt is the bad guy, not the Steelers. This isn’t Le’Veon Bell declining to sign the franchise tag. Watt has a valid contract and is refusing to work.
Watt fanboys are scolding the Steelers for making Watt mad.
Why is it important for Watt to be happy? Who’d he ever beat? He’s got zero sacks in two playoff games, and the Steelers lost both.
This is business, not personal. Grow up.
Nobody thought it was important for Bell to be happy. Why was that? He might have been the NFL’s best back then.
Watt owes the Steelers three more years no matter what: This season, and they can franchise Watt twice.
If Watt plays out his contract and gets franchised twice, he’d make $47 million over those three seasons. (That’s exactly what the Steelers should do.)
Most people could find a way to be happy making $47 million over three years.
Ben Roethlisberger got his pay cut by $5 million this season. Even at 39, he’s more important to the Steelers than Watt is, and his place in franchise history is infinitely higher.
Watt is the bad guy. He’s got a contract, and it is iron-clad.
Get to work.