Ravens HC John Harbaugh Says T.J. Watt is Best Defensive Player in NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker is one sack away from tying the single-season sack record.

PITTSBURGH -- Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh hasn't paid much attention to the farewell tour of Ben Roethlisberger because he's focused on the team's matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, when he thinks about Week 18 and hosting the black and gold, there is a player does have his eye on - T.J. Watt.

Harbaugh spoke with local Pittsburgh media about the Week 18 matchup with the Steelers, and couldn't downplay the performance Watt has put on this season. 

"To me, he may be the best defensive player in football. He probably is," Harbaugh said. "There's a lot of great players in this league, but none better than him. The evidence being the sack record for sure."

Harbaugh said the Ravens spent time watching his film and scouting him while Watt was at Wisconsin, and wasn't super happy when he went 30th to the Steelers.

"We loved him coming out in the draft," Harbaugh said. "Of course, when he went to Pittsburgh, it wasn't something that we celebrated here, because I liked him so much at Wisconsin. He's done nothing but fulfill and even go further than what the expectations were."

Watt has 21.5 sacks this season, which is one away from tying the single-season record. Which is no surprise to Harbaugh, who was impressed with Watt's preparation as his coach in the Pro Bowl in 2019. 

And he knows that doesn't touch the surface of what Watt does in a normal NFL week.

"Got to be around him a little bit at the Pro Bowl a couple years ago, and really really love being around him," Harbaugh said. "Just so impressed with his demeanor towards the game. How seriously he took it, how hard he worked for that game. I loved his competitiveness in that game. But of course, I've seen it at a whole different level in our games."

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