Steelers Could Absolutely Use This Formula To Immediately Unlock TJ Watt In 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers have always been known for having an elite pass rush. The franchise even earned the nickname "Blitzburgh" and the hope is always to strike fear and intimidation into opposing offensive lines. Pittsburgh can always count on this factor and the team and city embrace this identity. The past decade has been more of the same and Pittsburgh hopes to continue the trend well into the future, and they might just have found another way to unlock one of their key pass rushers.

TJ Watt has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL over the last five years or so. Unfortunately, recent years have been derailed by injuries and have put a big dent in Watt's production. Watt, who is now 31-years-old, looks to find a way to turn back the clock and get back to his production of his best years.

Watt is still an elite pass rusher and still has a huge impact on opposing teams' game plans. However, teams have found ways to exploit weaknesses in Watt's game. Teams regularly dedicate extra blockers to his side, whether that means keeping a tight end in protection, using a running back to chip him at the line of scrimmage, or sliding the entire protection scheme in his direction. Offensive coordinators have also emphasized quick passing concepts that get the ball out of the quarterback's hands before Watt has an opportunity to reach the pocket. These adjustments do not necessarily stop Watt, but they can reduce the number of game-changing plays that have defined much of his career.

Another area opponents have attacked is his aggressiveness as a pass rusher. Because Watt is constantly looking to create pressure, offenses will occasionally use misdirection plays, screens, and run-pass options to take advantage of his up-field burst. When executed properly, these plays can create running lanes behind him or force him into difficult situations in space.

Steelers beat reporter Nick Farabaugh recently spoke on the Locked On Steelers podcast on what Watt could do to improve his pass rush in 2026.

"Now that he is 31, going to be 32, you can probably dial that back a little," Farabaugh explained. "He doesn't need to play 85% of snaps. He can play 75% to 70% and he can be fresher over the year."

This will help Watt out in a lot of ways, and the hope is to have him extremely fresh in the fourth quarter for crucial drives. Pittsburgh does not want him struggling to make an impact. Watt is a big piece of the defense in Pittsburgh obviously, but it goes beyond what the stats say.  

The impact that Watt has on his defensive partners, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, is a huge deal and many people fail to realize it. When Watt is healthy and on the field, he takes a tremendous amount of attention off of Highsmith and Herbig. This allows them to rush the quarterback more freely and not have to face double teams or get chipped by the tight end. 

The other layer to having multiple elite edge rushers is that Pittsburgh is going to be able to take Watt off the field a little more if they feel it is necessary and get him more rest because Highsmith and Herbig are very capable of making massive defensive plays themselves. 

Steelers Hopeful For A Watt Revenge Season

This past season Watt was a little bit of a non-factor compared to in years past. With only 14 games played and 7 total sacks, Watt was not felt by opposing teams like he had in years prior. The hope this season is for Watt to be able to stay healthy and return to the elite level pass rusher he's been known as on a weekly basis.

If the Pittsburgh defense wants to return to the elite pass rushing level that they have been in years past, Watt staying healthy is huge and it will provide a huge boost for the defensive unit as a whole. This upcoming season holds a lot of potential and Pittsburgh is hopeful Watt can be a part of the major success to come. 

#SteelerNation