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Steelers Hold Upper Hand in J.J. Watt Race

The Pittsburgh Steelers are rumored to be one of two teams J.J. Watt would return for.

Noah Strackbein

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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers and J.J. Watt aren't going to die off anytime soon. The future Hall of Famer may not be on a field to start the 2023 season, but some believe he'll get opportunities before the year is out, and the team he's most likely to end up with are the Steelers. 

Watt has been formally invited to the Steelers' facility by head coach Mike Tomlin, and Watt asked to come visit this year. That immediately sparked conversation amongst the fanbase and the media, including current Pittsburgh scout Ike Taylor, who said Watt could get a phone call during the season from the team. 

Now, the NFL Rumors account on Twitter, has named the Steelers and Green Bay Packers as the possible landing spots for the defensive end, if he returns. 

Full disclaimer, the NFL Rumors account is not official and is not a reputable source for NFL news. However, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together, you'd imagine that the Steelers and Packers would be the two teams that make the most sense if the Hall of Famer does return. 

There's some concern for the Steelers on this front, though. Watt has been banged up throughout his career, including a torn rotator cuff in 2021 that sidelined him for 10 games, and a heart arrhythmia that occurred last year. 

If the Steelers were to sign Watt, they'd be taking on all his injury history, and anything that affects him after his playing career would fall on the shoulders of Pittsburgh. 

That being said, the Steelers are still seemingly the most likely landing spot if Watt returns to the NFL. He'd get to play alongside his brother, T.J., strap up for Tomlin as a coach, and the return only gets stronger if Pittsburgh is a good team this season. 

With Kenny Pickett entering his first full year as a starter, the offensive line improving and the defense filling some holes and replacing others, the Steelers could be a team making a playoff push late in the season. 

Vets jump on teams with chances of a Super Bowl run every season. Watt doesn't have a ring, and getting a chance to chase one with his brother, might be a bit too enticing when the time comes. 

That's a long way away, and plenty of stories will pop up between now and then. But looking at the future, it does make sense that Watt would have Pittsburgh as the top spot for a return. 

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Noah Strackbein
NOAH STRACKBEIN

Noah is the Publisher for All Steelers, Inside the Panthers (InsideThePanthers.com) and Inside the Penguins (InsidethePenguins.com), and is the host of All Steelers Talk (YouTube.com/AllSteelersTalk). A Scranton native, Noah made his way to the Pittsburgh sports scene in 2017. Now, he's pretty much full-yinzer.

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