Former NFL LB says healthy T.J. Watt is best defensive player in the league

ESPN analyst and former NFL linebacker Bart Scott has already named the best defensive player in the league. He says, when healthy, that title belongs to Steelers star T.J. Watt. He won’t hear an argument otherwise.

With the first week of the regular season approaching, ESPN’s Get Up discussed the outlook for Pittsburgh this fall. The Steelers concluded last season with a 9-8 record, missing out on the playoffs.

Part of that issue — along with quarterback drama early in the year — was an injury to Watt. The linebacker missed seven games.

Now, the five-time Pro Bowl selection returns to the field at full strength. And Scott expects to see big things from Watt.

“When T.J. Watt is healthy, he is the best defensive player in football. Period.” Scott said. “T.J. Watt should have two Defensive MVPs. Injury is the only thing that stopped him from having two.”

"When T.J. Watt is healthy, he is the best defensive player in football."

—@BartScott57 pic.twitter.com/6wMw1xh7iy

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 5, 2023

When host Mike Greenberg mentioned the name of Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, Scott shot that notion down pretty quickly.

Watt was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has earned a Pro Bowl selection each of the past five seasons and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. That season, he piled up a career-best 22.5 sacks. He also tallied 64 total tackles, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Mike Tomlin talks about T.J. Watt’s ‘elite’ status

Don’t believe Watt’s absence was a big deal for Pittsburgh? The Steelers posted an 8-2 record with the linebacker on the field in 2022 — with the team ending the year with a 9-8 mark.

What makes Watt such a special player? On the Rich Eisen Show this week, head coach Mike Tomlin discussed his star defender and what makes him such a unique talent.

“He’s in that elite class,” Tomlin said. “And not only because of his talent, but his commitment daily. The physical work that he does, the classroom work, his approach to his business, it’s elite. It’s like some of the guys we got a chance to spend some time with a few weeks ago (Pro Football Hall of Fame).

“Everyone obviously talks about his talent but man, he sets a really good example for the young Steelers, like on a day like today. Just watching him go about his business and the professionalism and the urgency, every single day, he’s at the tip-top of that elite group, for sure.”