Regarding stirring hype, T.J. Watt has been doing it since the day of his draft. As of 2024, he is well-known as one of the best defenders in the NFL and is one of the best overall in the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Since college at Wisconsin, T.J. has played as an outside linebacker. As his last name suggests, Watt is power-packed and aggressive, with his gameplay tough for opponents.
The Steelers drafted him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. T.J. was a finalist for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019 and 2020 before winning the award in 2021.
The Steelers’ Linebreaker won’t participate in the Pro Bowl Games, which is happening on February 2, 2023, that includes a skill competition and a flag football game.
He was voted in as a member of the AFC team but missed the 2022 season with a pectoral injury.
Here in this article, we have summed up all there is to know about the NFL player, from his early days to his early life, NFL Draft, and career.
Before that, let’s take a glance at quick facts.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Trent Jordan “T. J.” Watt |
| Date of Birth | October 11, 1994 |
| Birth Place | Pewaukee, Wisconsin |
| Nick Name | Peanut |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Age | 30 Years Old |
| Height | 6’4″/1.93 m/193 cm |
| Weight | 114 kg/252 lb |
| Hair Color | Light Brown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | John Watt |
| Mother’s Name | Connie Watt |
| Siblings | Two Brothers, Derek Watt and J.J. Watt |
| Education | Pewaukee High School, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Relationship Status | Dating |
| Girlfriend | Dani Rhodes |
| Profession | Football Player |
| Position | Outside Linebacker |
| NFL Draft | 2017/Round:1/Pick: 30 |
| Affiliations | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Active Years | 2014-Present |
| Net Worth | $10 Million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Jersey, Trading Card |
| Last Update | November 2024 |
Body Measurements & Facial Appearance
T.J. Watt is a tall, athletic man with a ripped physique who stands at 6’4″/1.93 m in height. Watt weighs 114 kg/252 lb and has an arm length of 0.84 m.
As for his facial structure, Watt has a slightly rectangular face with a fair skin tone. Besides, he has a thin, light brown beard with hair of the same color.
His soft brown eyes give a warm tone to his facial structure.
Family & Background
T.J. Watt was born on October 11, 1994, in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, to his parents, Connie Watt and John Watt. They raised him alongside his two older brothers, Derek Watt and J.J. Watt, in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
His mother, Connie, worked as a secretary for a building inspection company and later became the company’s president. At 2024, she runs J.J.’s charitable foundation.
As for his father, John served in the fire brigade for 25 years.
Watt’s older brothers are both footballers. J.J. Watt is a former American football defensive end who played in the NFL for twelve seasons. The Houston Texans drafted him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
His other brother, Derek Watt, is a football fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). The San Diego Chargers drafted him in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
T.J. seriously began football when he was in fifth-grade; all three brothers pursued their careers in the NFL;
Early Career
Watt attended Pewaukee High School.
Later, Watt got enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While in Wisconsin, he majored in retailing and consumer behavior.
Unsurprisingly, he was featured in the collegiate team Wisconsin Badgers as the tight end; Unfortunately, he got injured in the 2014 season and was in the recovery process until the middle of the 2015 season.
Moreover, T.J. bagged the Big Ten Player of the Week and the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week Award.
Sports Illustrated had given him the First All-American Honors, and The Associated Press gave him the second-team honors.
Professional career
As Watt presented himself in the 2017 Draft, he portrayed his vertical jump and three-cone drill as he stood in first place alongside Jabrill Peppers.
During that time, NFLDraftScout.com had titled Watt the second-best outside linebacker in the draft. Not to mention, Sports Illustrated had represented him as the ninth-best edge rusher, while ESPN titled him as the 44th-best prospect available in the draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the first round (30th pick) in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt signed a four-year, $9.25 million contract with the Steelers, including a signing bonus of $4.87 million.
Right after it, he competed with James Harrison for the position of outside linebacker in the preseason. Later, he was named the Steelers’ right outside line breaker at the beginning of the season.
Rookie
Watt debuted on September 10, 2017, against the Cleveland Browns, where he recorded seven combined tackles, two sacks, and 1 intercepted pass.
He became the first rookie to start as a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers after Aaron Jones in 1988.
By the end of the season, Watt played 15 games, maintaining 54 combined tackles, seven pass deflections, seven sacks, and an interception.
2018-Present
On January 14, 2018, T.J. recorded two combined tackles and a deflected pass in a 45-42 loss to the Jaguars in the AFC Divisional Round.
With an astonishing improvement in his games, Watt gained his foremost season-high ten combined tackles in 2018 and earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
By the end of the season, Watt had featured in 16 games total, with 68 combined tackles, 13 sacks, six forced fumbles, and three pass deflections.
During the same year, Watt was #93 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019, becoming the 24th highest grade among all qualifying edge defenders.
During his second season with the Steelers, Watt earned AFC Defensive Player of the Month as he recorded two sacks on Ryan Fitzpatrick.
As he was nearing the end of the third season of his pro career, Watt had already been one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL. He had the AFC’s highest number of 14.5 sacks and was also voted the MVP by his teammates.
Furthermore, Watt stood 25th in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 while he stood third in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
Advancing to the 2020 season, Watt got a chance to play with his older brother, Derek, on the same team. The same year, the steelers exercised the fifth-year option on Watt’s contract.
Until the end of the 12th Week of 2020, Watt had recorded 45.5 sacks, 215 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 24 pass deflections.
Further
In 2021, Watt and the Steelers agreed to a four-year extension worth over $112 million, including $80 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
He ended the season leading the league in sacks (22.5), tackles for loss (21), and quarterback hits (39) for the consecutive year. As a result, T.J. was named Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors.
The football outside linebacker ended his 2022 season with 39 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble in 10 games played.
Awards and Honors
- 2× Pro Bowl (2018 & 2019)
- First-team All-Pro (2019)
- Second-team All-Pro (2019)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2017)
- Second-team All-American (2016)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2016)
Career Stats
| Year | SOLO | Sack | FF | INT |
| 2022 | 27 | 5.5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021 | 48 | 22.5 | 5 | 0 |
| Career Stat | 243 | 77.5 | 23 | 6 |
Net Worth, Salary & Endorsements
As of 2024, Watt is reported to have a net worth of around $10 million.
The football outside linebacker signed a 4 year, $112 million contract with the Steelers, including a $35 million signing bonus, $80 million guaranteed, and an annual salary of $28 million.
He earns a base salary of $20 million while carrying a cap hit of $29 million and a dead cap value of $48 million in 2024.
Apart from sports, Watt has several brand endorsement projects under his belt. To date, Watt has endorsed Six Star Pro Nutrition, one of America’s leading sports nutrition brands.
Watt is featured in product packaging and paid media advertising in print, digital, mobile, and social platforms.
Similarly, Watt is also in the endorsement deal with Reebok as he will be representing Reebok’s training shoe and clothing line.
Workout & Diet
Watt is very conscious about his health as an athlete; thus, the diet plans and workout schedule runs throughout the whole family all in one.
With a short glance into the schedule, Watt stands fast with 7,000 to 8,000 calories and two gallons of water daily.
Additionally, T.J. has three balanced meals with three hearty snacks each day. Also, he does have pre-and post-workout supplementation.
To illustrate, Watt has Fairlife milk sources in snacks, egg whites with yolks, turkey bacon or sausage, potatoes, fruit, and granola for breakfast.
Besides, he eats sandwiches with avocado but stays away from nuts as he is allergic to them. As for dinner, he mostly has foods enriched in proteins.
Wife
Watt got married to his beautiful wife, Dani Rhodes, in July 2022, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Rhodes is a beautiful blonde who plays soccer for the club Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur. She was named Big Ten Forward of the Year in 2019 and earned the All-America Second Team honors.
The couple doesn’t have any children in 2024 as both are busy in their respective careers.
Social Media Presence
The football outside linebacker is available on various social media like Instagram and Twitter.
Instagram: 1 million
View this post on Instagram
Twitter: 513.2k followers
His social media post primarily includes pictures with his wife and family. Besides, he also shares pictures and videos from his professional life.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Does T.J. Watt play offense or defense?
The athlete plays on the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense side.
What is TJ's madden rating in 2023?
The footballer's madden rating is 90 in 2023.
How much can TJ bench press?
According to MockDraftable, the outside linebacker bench press is measured at 24 reps and 44 percentile.
Is TJ Watt a free agent?
No, T.J. signed a four-year contract extension with the Steelers on September 9, 2021.
Was T.J. Watt injured?
The player has underwent knee injuries various times, while his recent ones are from October 2020.
Are T.J. Watt and J.J. Watt twins?
The two Watt brothers are not twins, as they were born separately.
