Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is already one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, so little brother T.J. Watt has some big shoes to fill with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward thinks that T.J. can actually be better than his older sibling:
“I hate to do this to J.J., but I think T.J. can be better one day,” said Heyward, according to Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official team website. “I am not saying next year. I am not saying the year after, but T.J.’s got all of the tools. The kid works at his craft. I know he has never shied away from work. J.J. won’t either, so it’s going to be a battle there for years to come. T.J. works at every part of his game.”
T.J. certainly took a step in the right direction in 2018, racking up 68 tackles, 13 sacks and six forced fumbles during his second season.
While J.J. and T.J. play different positions, their roles are similar, as J.J. is a defensive end in a 4-3 defense and T.J. is an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
So, naturally, there is some competition between the two:
“It’s a rivalry you see there,” added Heyward. “They compete against each other. But they are always happy for each other.”
T.J. was added to the AFC's Pro Bowl roster on Jan. 17, replacing J.J.'s teammate, Jadeveon Clowney, who will miss the game due to an injury. The Steelers drafted T.J. with the 30th overall pick out of Wisconsin in 2017.
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