TJ Watt just went 3-0 and had a big win, probably the start of the last decade of his NFL career. But Watt doesn’t plan on hanging up his cleats anytime soon. Asked via the team’s website about the prospect of how long he could play, Watt said it’s not something he thinks about often and isn’t a topic he plans to seriously think about for years.
Asked if he would play until age 40, Watt told reporters with a laugh, “My wife probably wouldn’t like it.” “But I love football. I love it now. I think I’ve loved this game for a long time, and I want to play for as long as my body can hold out.”
Watt turned 30 on October 11th and recorded his 100th sack just before his birthday. He’s already reached rare territory, being the Steelers’ all-time sack leader and the second-fastest player in history to reach 100 career takedowns.
If he lives long enough, he may have a chance to challenge Bruce Smith’s NFL record of 200 sacks. No player has seriously challenged Reggie White’s record since Smith broke it in 2003, during his 40th season. Julius Peppers, who finished his career in 2017, came “closest” with 159.5 sacks, but Smith’s record was still comfortably safe.
Von Miller is the NFL’s current sack leader with 126 sacks, but he is in the final year of his career and won’t be able to challenge Smith’s mark. Neither do the next active sack leaders on the list: Cameron Jordan with 117.5, Chandler Jones with 112, Calais Campbell with 107.5, and Khalil Mack with 104.
Instead, it could be a new wave of pass rushers that could take it by storm. Starting with Watt, he racked up 101 through his first eight seasons. Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns is more than a year younger, has 92 sacks and will soon join the 100-sack club.
Watt’s future is worth pondering. During his college days, he suffered repeated knee injuries and was almost forced to retire due to illness. They have barely followed him to the NFL level, but it’s natural to wonder if these injuries will eventually catch up to him. His older brother, JJ, retired despite proving he could still play, moving on to his life’s work after an age-33 season in which he had 12.5 sacks with the Arizona Cardinals.
But most of it is academic. Watt expends little mental calories thinking about how long he has left to live. Watt, who went without a sack in two games during a rare “drought” for him, will look for sack number 102 and beyond on Monday night.
“I don’t want to get caught up in looking to the future,” he said. “I just want to concentrate for today.”
For a guy like Watt, the “FIRE Movement” doesn’t exist. Unless that represents a fumble-interception-run (stuff)-involvement QB.
