TJ Watt shares childhood memory of competitive brothers

Pittsburgh Steelers star TJ Watt spoke in a sit-down interview about the impact his competitive brothers had on him growing up. The Watt family have three brothers in the NFL currently, with TJ being the little brother of the group behind JJ Watt and Derek Watt.

Watt became the highest-paid defensive player in the league last year after signing a four-year contract extension worth over $112 million, cementing him as a Pittsburgh Steelers feature for the immediate future. Watt spoke about how he used the resources in front of him as JJ and Derek both led by example, and credited them for helping him realize his potential.

TJ Watt on growing up with future NFL brothers

“So JJ obviously is what, five and a half years older than me, Derek’s two and a half years older than me,” began Watt in an interview with The Pivot Podcast. “JJ was kinda more like, he wasn’t around as much because he was always busy in high school when I was in grade school and stuff, so Derek and I were always much closer.

“All growing up, I would be playing up two years on his baseball team, football team, stuff like that. It really made me grow, because I was playing “Tips 21” in the driveway and my dad always told them, ‘don’t go easy on TJ. Don’t go easy on TJ.’ And so I’d have to throw elbows and just try to find a way to be successful around guys that were older than me. I’ve always respected my brothers for never taking it easy on me, but it’s kinda brought out the chippiness, trying to get my punch and then start to run type of attitude. Because I remember just running up the steps and then just getting grabbed at the ankle from either one of my brothers and just started getting beat up pretty good.

“I love being a little brother.”

Watt was then asked if he learned anything about becoming the player he is today by seeing JJ Watt become one of the greatest defensive players of the league earlier in his career — something that Watt admitted was originally something that demotivated him.

“Yeah. I mean, it was truly the blueprint. It was, all the people got to see the fame,” said Watt. “They got to see the commercials, all the cool stuff that comes with being successful. But I got to see the hard work that went into it. I got to see him train. I got to see all, just, the process. And early on in my high school career I used it as a crutch. ‘Oh, I’m not JJ. I’m not like, don’t treat me like that.’ All this stuff.

“But the older I got, the more mature I got — it was, I’ve got an incredible opportunity to have this mentor in my life. Grew up where I grew up. Drank the same milk at the dinner table that he did. Ate all the same meals, and he’s successful — so why can’t I be? So once I took that approach, I really changed my life. And both of my brothers have just been an open book to me. I roomed with Derek in college for a year and just really have grown really close to them.”