TJ Watt on his opportunity to set NFL single-season sack record in finale

T.J. Watt has the chance to make NFL history in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ regular season finale on Sunday. The Steelers still have an outside shot at the playoffs, but when they take on the Baltimore Ravens in the final week of the season, Watt will be looking to become the NFL’s all-time single-season sacks leader.

Entering the final week of the year, Watt has totaled 21.5 sacks while anchoring the Steelers defense. Michael Strahan holds the current single-season record with 22.5 sacks, meaning that Watts needs just 1.5 to solidify his name inside NFL record books.

Watt knows exactly what he is playing for on Sunday, and he understands that this opportunity might not come again.

“I only get one chance at this,” Watt said via Around The NFL’s Nick Shook. “You only get to play for so long. It has consumed a lot of my life and I’m completely OK with that. The people around me truly push me and understand my obsession with this game and wanting to be the best.”

In addition to his 21.5 sacks, Watt has also totaled 59 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 36 quarterback hits, six passes defended, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries this season. He is arguably the front-runner for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

Watt is playing up to his recently-signed contract with the Steelers

The contract situation between Watt and the Steelers was an important aspect of this past offseason. Ultimately, Watt signed a four-year extension that is worth over $112 million, which makes him the highest paid defensive player in the league. He will earn an average of $28.003 million per season with $80 million guaranteed.

Watt’s new deal with the Steelers came after he led the NFL with 15 sacks last season. Through five years in his NFL career, Watt has 289 tackles, 79 tackles for loss, 71 sacks, 147 quarterback hits, 21 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, and 31 passes defended.

“It’s my job to prove all these people that have put this amount of money to me and stood on the table to say they want me here, to prove them right,” Watt said after singing his extension. “I know I can do it. I know exactly what it takes. I’ve been doing it my whole life. It’s just about continuing to do it and staying hungry. And I guarantee everybody here right now and everybody in this building, I am still hungry.”

With his name just a sack short of tying NFL records, Watt is undoubtedly proving that he is worth the massive contract he received from the Steelers.