T.J. Watt absolutely crushed the absurd ‘decline’ narrative in Week 1 with a game-changing interception returned for a touchdown, instantly reminding the NFL world why he stands in a class of his own. The talk leading into the season suggested the superstar edge rusher might finally be starting to slip, but it took less than four quarters of football to make that entire narrative look completely ridiculous.
Roethlisberger Slams The ‘Finished’ Talk
National media speculation swirled before the season, questioning whether T.J. Watt was finally beginning to decline. They seriously doubted one of the best defenders in the game. But what happened? Watt showed up for Week 1 and put on a clinic. Watching the play unfold on his podcast, “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger,” former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went off on the offseason doubters who dared suggest Watt was fading. He had zero time for that garbage.
“Listen, I think the most ridiculous thing that I’d heard recently was people talking about T.J. Watt being finished,” Roethlisberger said. “Like, ‘Oh, well, he declined.’ I was like, you just can’t rule out a Watt. I don’t think you’re allowed to do that. There’s something in their genes.” Talk about shutting down the noise with authority, right?
Why Watt Is Still Built Different
What really sets Watt apart from other elite defenders is his uncanny knack for turning defensive stops into game-breaking offensive points. Most pass rushers are happy to bat balls down at the line of scrimmage. Not Watt. He plucks them out of mid-air like he is making a highlight reel catch. Roethlisberger even joked that Watt snatches passes like a “Belgian Malinois catching a tennis ball.” You just know that instant switch from defense to offense.
Former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes totally highlighted how Watt’s instincts immediately shift from pass rusher to playmaker once the ball touches his hands. “That part after he intercepted the football, he has the ability to say, ‘You know what? I got a chance to score six here,’” Holmes noted. “He’s one of those guys like, ‘Offense isn’t really doing it. Let me do it.’” While the media loves to endlessly debate positional rankings between Watt and other perennial Pro Bowlers, plays like his season-opening pick-six put that argument squarely to rest. Watt does not just disrupt drives; he completely alters the trajectory of games. That is the kind of impact that truly matters.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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