Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt is one of the few defenders who can rival Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Despite Garrett winning the award last season, not everyone believes he’s better than Watt. NFL analyst and retired running back Maurice Jones-Drew is among those skeptics, ranking Watt one spot ahead of Garrett in his top 10 players list for the upcoming season.
“Although T.J. Watt didn’t win his second Defensive Player of the Year award last season, he should have,” Jones-Drew wrote. “In 2023, Watt led the NFL with 19 sacks, becoming the only player since 1982 to lead the league in sacks in three different seasons, according to NFL Research. Watt ranks higher than Garrett in my list because he was simply better on the field.”
Watt played in all 17 games last season for the first time in his career, raising questions about why he lost to Garrett. Voters seemed to favor Garrett’s game disruption over Watt’s impressive statistics.
“Make it make sense!” Jones-Drew exclaimed. “There are many storylines to follow in Pittsburgh this offseason, but don’t overlook the 29-year-old Watt.”
