TJ Watt misses out on Michael Strahan tying-sack due to controversial ruling

T.J. Watt is expected to at least tie Michael Strahan’s sack record on Sunday. However, the Steelers star had a false alarm early in the first quarter.

In his first opportunity to tie the record, Watt took down Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley. Watt and the Steelers celebrated, thinking it was the sack Watt has been looking for. However, NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala revealed that the celebration was for naught.

“False alarm: that will NOT be the Michael Strahan-tying sack. Bad snap, Tyler Huntley corrals it, gets up and TJ Watt is of course waiting. Watt takes down Huntley, but scorer says he was a runner,” tweeted Kinkhabwala. “However… the ball shoots out, Watt gets a forced fumble and #Steelers recover it.”

Perhaps a little gamesmanship in Baltimore. Evidently, Watt is going to have to work harder to get to Strahan’s record — and possibly break it. With plenty of game left, the Ravens aren’t going to make it easy for their rival.

More on TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

A transformative offseason is on the horizon for the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the field, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is expected to retire following the season. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero revealed some shocking off-the-field news regarding the franchise.

According to Rapoport and Pelissero, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert is expected to step down following the 2022 NFL Draft.

“Kevin Colbert – who has run personnel for the Steelers since 2000, winning two Super Bowls while becoming one the most respected executives in the NFL – is expecting the 2021 season to be his last one as general manager, according to sources,” wrote Rapoport and Pelissero. “Colbert’s contract runs through the 2022 NFL Draft, and he has told people he intends to stay on the job through then, sources say. But while he has not been definitive in conversations with those close to him, Colbert has acknowledged that it is likely his last season and the expectation is he’ll retire sooner rather than later after the draft.”

The Steelers have huge decisions to make in the coming months. Not only will they have to replace Roethlisberger at quarterback, but their lead decision-maker in the front office.