JJ Watt cracks joke at brother after historic contract

Arizona Cardinals defensive end JJ Watt had some fun with his brother, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt after the younger Watt signed a historic contract on Thursday.

“T.J. Watt should I send those outstanding IOU’s to your accountant,” Watt tweeted. “Or do you want to just Venmo me?”

The younger Watt signed a historic extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.

The deal is worth more than $112 million, an average of $28.003 million per year. A four-year extension, T.J. Watt is guaranteed $80 million. 

The Steelers and Watt have been in contract negotiations during all of preseason to sign Watt to an extension as his rookie contract expires at the end of this season. 

T.J. Watt has proven on the field he deserves a new contract. In four seasons, the Wisconsin product has notched 230 tackles, 49.5 sacks and 17 forced fumbles. He was selected first-team All-Pro in the last two seasons. Last season, was Watt’s best yet, leading the entire league in sacks with 15. Watt finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. 

With a deal agreed upon, T.J. Watt and Steelers now turn attention to their Week One matchup Sunday against Buffalo. 

For the first time in his career, JJ Watt will not be suiting up for the Houston Texans. The star pass rusher signed with the Arizona Cardinals this past offseason after a decade in Houston.

The older Watt has struggled to stay healthy over the last five seasons, playing just two full seasons in that span, in 2018 and 2020. When healthy, JJ Watt remains one of the most feared pass rushers in the league.

Last season, Watt had 52 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and five sacks. His last healthy season before that, 2018, Watt was selected to the Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro selection. In his career, JJ Watt has recorded 101 sacks, 531 tackles, 172 tackles for loss and 61 passes deflected.

Both T.J. and JJ Watt had notable college careers at Wisconsin. In two seasons in Madison, JJ Watt had 106 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks before being drafted by the Texans in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. In the younger Watt’s time at Wisconsin, T.J. also had 11.5 sacks to go with 70 tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss.