Pittsburgh Steelers fans know how smart a football player TJ Watt is and a recent report from The Athletic confirms just how special he is too. The Athletic Intelligence Quotient (AIQ) was introduced to the NFL in 2012 as a tool to evaluate players and the Steelers' star killed it.
Don Wright / AP
Steelers' TJ Watt (#90) celebrates a turnover against the Miami Dolphins in Pittsburgh, PA in 2019.
The 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year, who permitted his results to be shared, scored in the “superior” range in a number of categories, including reaction time and navigation with scores of 119 and 120, respectively, out of a possible 130. He placed in the high-average range in target comparison and decision-making, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. He also had no weaknesses according to the test.
JORDAN SCHOFIELD / STEELERNATION (TWITTER: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers' TJ Watt waits for the snap in a game against the Detroit Lions.
The test was developed by Dr. Scott Goldman and Dr. Jim Bowman to assess athletic intelligence. It has no text-based questions and is "more like a video game," according to the organization's website. The test is used by all of the major sports leagues in the United States as well as by governmental organizations, military, and first responder departments.
The tests are individually tailored to the athlete and what they need to do at their position in their sport. In the example of edge rushers, the categories are reaction time, navigation, target comparison, spatial awareness, and decision-making.
The Steelers Should Get In On Unique Evaluation Tool
Michael Conroy / Associated Press
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan speaks to the media at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN.
DeFabo reports that the Steelers are not among the about 10 NFL teams utilizing the test as of right now, but hinted that the new regime coming in may have an interest in using its data.
Just like any test of an athlete whether that be the combine or college film, the AIQ data is a tool in the process. Some teams have started incorporating the data they get with some of the more traditional combine metrics like 40-yard dash and wingspan to get their own fuller measures of prospects.
Did you know that the number of sacks an edge rusher gets in college does not predict sacks in the NFL? Did you know that the AIQ does?https://t.co/oRbFWv3D1u
— Scott Goldman, Ph.D. (@ScottGoldmanPhD) April 25, 2023
The use of the data service doesn't end at prospect evaluation either. Goldman also works as a consulting performance psychologist for the Golden State Warriors. He also has with other professional and college teams since 2005 and has used his connections with general managers and scouts to help best build tests to specifically evaluate positions.
In one example, the data from an AIQ test suggested a tight end on a team would struggle with contested catches due to "his low reaction score when distractions were present." The player struggled to make contested catches and the team was able to use the data to give him more routes where he didn't have to make contested catches.
While a good score is certainly a nice thing to have, it's not the end of the world to not score high.
“When someone scores high, we say, ‘Great!’ And when someone scores low, that’s also great,” Goldman said to DeFabo. “Now we can get to work and give you solutions. We’re not hunting for high or low scores. What we’re really doing is understanding the player and then saying, ‘OK, here’s how you can still find ways for him to be successful no matter what the scores are.’”
There's always a multitude of things coaches and general managers need to keep in mind when trying to field and manage their teams, but it can never hurt to have another tool in the box in player evaluation.
Are you surprised TJ Watt scored as high as he did? Would it be a good idea for the Steelers to use AIQ testing? Comment below!
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