On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers secured a 30-23 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
However, the win came at a cost for the Steelers as linebacker TJ Watt sustained an injury while trying to sack Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith in the late stages of the game.
Despite briefly leaving the field and missing a couple of plays, Watt displayed resilience by returning to finish the contest.
By the end of the day, he notched two tackles and a quarterback hit but missed opportunities to bring down Smith.
Moreover, Watt appeared to be held multiple times during plays, yet the officiating crew did not penalize these actions.
Expressing her frustration on Instagram, TJ Watt’s wife, Dani, criticized the referees for consistently overlooking obvious holding infractions against the Steelers linebacker.
She stated:
“Every dang play. So sick of refs ‘choosing’ what players they want to call holds for.”
Additionally, she shared a tweet from TJ’s brother, former NFL defensive end JJ Watt, featuring a clip highlighting the instances where TJ was held.
This incident is not isolated, as just last month, TJ Watt voiced his displeasure with the officiating throughout the season.
After a 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Watt expressed frustration, stating:
“The NFL has something going against me, so I don’t want to talk any more negatively toward them.”
T.J. Watt spoke to the media following our game against the Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/nReqKPufsd
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 3, 2023
During this interview, he was asked about a specific play where he believed he was held but received no penalty.
T.J. Watt has played for the Pittsburgh Steelers over seven seasons.
His accolades include 5 Pro Bowl selections, 1 Defensive Player of the Year award, and starting all 87 games he participated in.
Watt’s career stats showcase his impact: 331 tackles, 162 quarterback hits, 88 tackles for loss, 77.5 sacks, 37 passes defensed, 23 forced fumbles, six interceptions, and seven fumble recoveries.
Notably, his 91 career sacks in 98 games rank second only to Hall of Famer Reggie White.
In a standout 2018 season, Watt started all 16 games, registering 68 combined tackles, 13 sacks, six forced fumbles, and three pass deflections.
Recognized among the NFL’s elite, Watt secured the 93rd spot on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.
