Mike Tomlin not surprised to see TJ Watt showing up in big moments

There may have been some surprised by the play Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt made in overtime to help secure the win. Not among those surprised is Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh’s head coach was not only not surprised by his play but anticipated it.

It’s no surprise in Pittsburgh

“That’s how he’s compensated. I don’t think anyone is surprised by his ability to deliver in those moments,” said Tomlin of Watts performance.

Watt’s Sunday night performance against the Seahawks is the exact reason the Steelers gave him such a lucrative extension. Just before their first game of the season, the two sides agreed on a four-year $112 million contract extension, $80 million in guaranteed money. That contract made him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, and with the game on the line, Watt proved he was worth every penny.

Watt finished the game with seven tackles (six solo,) three tackles for a loss, three pass deflections, two sacks, and a forced fumble. The two sacks and the forced fumble were the key plays made on defense in overtime.

The first sack was on the Seahawks’ first drive in overtime. On a third and four, quarterback Geno Smith — starting for the injured Russell Wilson — was taken down for a loss of 13 yards on the play. That sack knocked the Seahawks back to their side of the field and forced them to punt. His second sack of the game was on the very first play of Seattle’s second possession in overtime. On first-and-10, Watt beat the right tackle off the edge and chased down Smith as he prepared to scramble. As soon as he contacted Smith, Watt swatted down stripping the ball from the quarterback. The fumble was recovered by Devin Bush on the 15-yard line and set up the Steelers’ field goal to win the game 23-20.

Tomlin wasn’t finished

While Tomlin may not have been surprised by the performance of his All-Pro linebacker, he did not let the chance slip by to praise hos star player.

“He’s a great player, but it’s about what he’s willing to do in terms of preparation and conditioning himself and all of those things,” Tomlin said. “It’s not anything mystical about that playmaking. We talk about a guy that’s really talented, that works extremely hard, that’s hyper-focus, prepared physically and mentally, so that’s what happens.”

Tomlin sees TJ Watt as not only an immense talent but also a great player dedicated to his craft. And when you mix all those things together, we should not be surprised when the spectacular happens.