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Steelers LB T.J. Watt Will Cement Hall of Fam Legacy in 2022

The Pittsburgh Steelers star is edging closer to all-time greatness with each game played.

CJ Errickson

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One could say that it will be hard for Pittsburgh Steelers' elite pass rusher, T.J. Watt, to duplicate his 2021 season. Nevertheless, Watt smashed all opponents, records, and anything in his path to earning the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. 

Despite being just 27 years of age, T.J. is already scraping the surface of legendary status within the Steeler organization before the next season begins. 

With just eight more sacks from the five-year veteran, he will have surpassed the following legendary Black and Gold icons:

  • James Harrison - 80.5 career sacks
  • L.C. Greenwood - 78.0 career sacks
  • Joe Greene - 77.5 career sacks
  • Jason Gildon - 77.0 career sacks

Watt currently sits in 5th place ahead of other impressive pass rushers such as LaMarr Woodley and Joey Porter.

What is most impressive about this run is that compared to each of the other players in front of him, Watt has only played in 77 games in his career.

Out of all the franchise sack leaders ahead of him, Jason Gildon played the least games to achieve his total - 158 games throughout 10 NFL seasons with the organization.

To put that into perspective, if Watt achieves nine more sacks to put himself ahead of James Harrison, he will have done it in less than half the amount of games (177) and years (14) it took him to reach his mountaintop moment in 2016. 

While James Harrison isn't eligible for the Hall of Fame until 2023, he will likely not go in as the team's all-time sack leader. Regardless, his career resume speaks for itself.

To fathom that T.J. Watt has many of the above-listed accolades as James is hard to believe. However, should he play another 10 years, there is a strong chance that 95% of Harrison's records will be broken.

The two Super Bowl victories by James Harrison cannot be underestimated, and that is something that the organization must give Watt if he wants not just to be a Hall of Famer - but a first-ballot one at that. If he can somehow surpass this moment, a gold jacket when he's in his first year of HOF eligibility is a certainty. 

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CJ Errickson
CJ ERRICKSON

CJ is a U.S. Army veteran who also contributes to SI's Falcon Report. In addition, he has been a part of the Fansided Network as both an editor and contributor for 4 different sites that cover both the NFL and English Premier League.

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