The Pittsburgh Steelers signed superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt to a three-year contract extension worth $123 million with $108 million guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal makes Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with an average annual salary of $41 million.
"The $41 million per year average is the highest of any non-quarterback in NFL history. The deal has been in the works between CAA Sports and the Steelers front office for months," Schefter wrote on X while breaking the news.
Watt's extension with Pittsburgh not only keeps him with the franchise until 2029, but it also puts even more pressure on the Cincinnati Bengals to get something done with their own superstar pass rusher.
Trey Hendrickson has been seeking a long-term extension from the Bengals for the entire offseason, but negotiations between the two sides haven't gone well.
Hendrickson, who has posted two straight seasons with 17.5 sacks, likely wants a deal similar to what the market value is for pass rushers right now. Well, that number just went up even more with Watt's monster extension with the Steelers.
Though he isn't the most flashy player, Hendrickson has been dominant over the last few years and deserves a big payday. His asking price in an extension with Cincinnati may have just risen due to Watt's new deal, so it'll be interesting to see if the Bengals decide to finally pay the four-time Pro Bowler or let this saga drag into training camp.
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