TJ Watt has been a beast the entire season. The Pittsburgh Steelers' star linebacker has been a monster against opposing offensive lines. Teams routinely have to game plan for Watt's presence, lest they get their quarterback demolished with sack after sack after sack.

TJ Watt's monster 2021 season has earned him a well-deserved Defensive Player of the Year award. After receiving his award, the Steelers star talked about how he motivated himself to win his award, invoking his brother in the process. (via Brooke Pryor)

“I'm not huge on individual goals, but it's tough for me not to want that when I saw my brother at the height of his career win the award three times. and I always just thought to myself, why can't I do that?”

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Watt is referring to his brother here, JJ. Like the Steelers star, the elder Watt has also been one of the best defensive players of his generation. JJ has won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, thanks in large part to his incredibly dominant seasons on the Texans' defensive line.

TJ himself is catching up to his brother's incredible career. The Steelers star tied Michael Strahan's 22.5 sack NFL season, carrying Pittsburgh's defense on his back at times. His agility and power has made him a terrifying force to face for offensive lines, as he commands the utmost respect out of his opponents.

The Steelers are looking to move on to a post-Ben Roethlisberger era. Without their former star to carry their offense, the keys to the team will be handed to Watt, as he'll try to remain the dominant force for the team.