Tag: Derek Watt

Ex-Steelers FB Derek Watt calls it a career

Former Steelers FB Derek Watt retired from the NFL this morning after seven seasons.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers Derek Watt called it a career on Tuesday, retiring after seven seasons in the NFL — four with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, three with the Steelers.

The fullback retires with 29 total carries, 71 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 18 receptions, 178 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

In his two-slide retirement letter posted to social, he thanked his wife and family, with a separate shout-out to his big brother J.J. Watt and little brother T.J. Watt.

The middle Watt never rose to the incredible level of J.J. and T.J. production-wise, but the fact that they took the field together in the National Football League is something to forever be cherished.

To JJ and TJ: From playing in the backyard to sharing a field in the NFL, this journey together has been absolutely incredible. They say if you want to be great, then you should surround yourself with greatness… you both have pushed me to be the best that I could be and it’s been so special to see all the hard work that we put in and sacrifices that we made pay off!

To the Chargers and Steelers: I can’t thank the Spanos family and the Rooney family enough for the opportunities that you provided me with! It was an honor to be a part of and represent 2 great organizations.

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Former Wisconsin fullback retires from the NFL

Former Wisconsin fullback retires from the NFL

Former Wisconsin Badgers fullback Derek Watt announced his retirement from the NFL Tuesday morning.

Watt played seven years in the league — four with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers and three with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The fullback retires with 29 total carries, 71 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 18 receptions, 178 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

Related: The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be a popular home for former Wisconsin Badgers

The talented fullback played for the Badgers from 2012-2015, totaling 369 scrimmage yards and one touchdown. His two brothers, T.J. and J.J. Watt, each became Wisconsin legends in their own right, then went on to have Hall of Fame-level NFL Careers. While Derek Watt’s career does not rise to that level, a seven-year career at a position that is becoming a thing of the past is no joke.

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J.J. Watt almost picked the Steelers to play with his brothers

Former Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt almost signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which would have allowed him to play with brothers T.J. and Derek.

There are iconic brothers in the NFL, but seldom do they get the chance to play with one another.

The Pittsburgh Steelers did have two brothers on their roster from 2020-22 in outside linebacker T.J. Watt and fullback Derek Watt. They could have added a third in defensive end J.J. Watt following his release from the Houston Texans in the 2021 offseason.

Watt joined the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast and talked about how the Steelers would have been the beneficiaries of three Watts on the roster. Yet it was Watt’s conscientious nature as the big brother that compelled him to bow out.

“Certainly, it would have been awesome to play with my brothers, but T.J. was also going through the contract situation there, and the last thing I was going to do was come in and take any money away from his contract,” Watt said via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra.

The youngest Watt signed a four-year extension worth over $112 million with $80 million guaranteed ahead of the Steelers’ opener in 2021. Adding the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year would have given Pittsburgh a nightmare edge rush, but it would have come at the expense of fielding a competitive roster in later years.

The Texans’ former 2011 first-round pick eventually signed with the Arizona Cardinals, playing 23 games over the next two seasons and extending his career sack total to 114.5.

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J.J. Watt had a very savvy reason for not joining his brothers with the Steelers as a free agent in 2021

J.J. Watt did his brother T.J. a big favor by not joining him with the Steelers in 2021.

While speaking with former NFL defensive end Chris Long on his podcast, newly retired NFL veteran J.J. Watt discussed the Watt reunion that wasn’t meant to be.

As NFL.com reported about Long’s podcast Green Light with Chris Long, Watt talked about why he opted not to join his brothers, outside linebacker T.J. Watt and fullback Derek Watt, in Pittsburgh with the Steelers as a free agent in 2021.

The eldest Watt closed out his career with two seasons in Arizona with the Cardinals, and he told Long that not picking Pittsburgh it all had to do with not wanting to cut into his brother T.J.’s contract negotiations with the Steelers.

“Certainly, it would have been awesome to play with my brothers, but T.J. was also going through the contract situation there, and the last thing I was going to do was come in and take any money away from his contract,” he said (via NFL.com).

It’s a rather stand-up reason not to make a decision for your career, as T.J. did land a lucrative deal in Pittsburgh that makes him one of the highest-paid defenders in the NFL.

Good on J.J. for taking the high road, even if a family reunion would’ve been a blast for NFL fans to watch. At least two of the Watt brothers got to share a Wheaties box. A CBS reunion could also be possible, too, with J.J. about to start his broadcast career.

Steelers OC Matt Canada calls a trick play for surprising Steelers touchdown

Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada went deep into his trick bag for Pittsburgh’s opening touchdown against the Eagles.

“We’re not scoring enough points. I said it last week, I’m not running from it. Splash plays do that; lack of mental mistakes and execution mistakes and assignment mistakes and all those things do that too. The more splash plays you have, the less of those things can happen.”

That’s what much-maligned Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada said this week leading up to his team’s game against the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. Canada has been bashed for his unimaginative offense this season, and rightly so, though the quarterbacks he’s had to work with haven’t always helped. Mitch Trubisky is… well, Mitch Trubisky, and first-round rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett is still finding his feet.

So, when the Steelers went down 7-0 on this amazing A.J. Brown catch, Canada knew he’d better come up with something to put balance on the scoreboard.

So, with 1:57 left in the first quarter, with the ball at the Philadelphia one-yard line, the answer on fourth-and-goal was Picktt handing off to receiver Chase Claypool, and Claypool throwing a wide-open touchdown to fullback Derek Watt. A left-handed touchdown, for good measure!

The Steelers will need more than the back pages of the playbook to hang with the Eagles, but this represented a nice start.

A former Wisconsin FB named captain of the Pittsburgh Steelers

A former Wisconsin FB named captain of the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers named former Wisconsin fullback Derek Watt a team captain yesterday.

The former Badger is entering his 6th NFL season and second with the Pittsburgh Steelers. As seen above, he joins QB Ben Roethlisberger and DE Cameron Heyward as the three Steelers that will wear the “C” on their chest this season.

He enters the year with 19 career carries, 49 rushing yards, 1 touchdown, 10 catches, 152 receiving yards and a total of 43 special teams tackles.

Something else to note along with this news, the 2021 Steelers boast the most Wisconsin products of any NFL team—FB Derek Watt, OLB T.J. Watt, LB Joe Schobert and DE Isaiahh Loudermilk.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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Panthers highlights: DE Brian Burns picks off Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins

Steelers FB Derek Watt couldn’t bring in the pass from QB Dwayne Haskins. So Panthers DE Brian Burns did.

The Carolina Panthers offense may still be painfully boring this preseason, but at least the other side of the ball is pretty exciting so far.

That excitement continued with its top dog, defensive end Brian Burns, cleaning up on a tipped ball for interception at the end of the first quarter. Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Derek Watt couldn’t secure the short pass from quarterback Dwayne Haskins, and Burns had no qualms showing him how it’s done.

And some more excitement for you . . .

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Which Watt brother is a mama’s boy? Best cook? T.J. Watt reveals all

The Steelers pass rusher spills the tea.

This content comes from our friends at Sportskind.

Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker T.J. Watt sat down with USA TODAY’s Randy Buffington to answer rapid-fire questions about all three of the Watt brothers. 

WATCH T.J. HILARIOUSLY SPILL THE TEA IN THE PLAYER ABOVE. 

T.J., J.J., and Derek Watt all play in the NFL and are self-described as very competitive. 

Buffington started the questions with, “Which brother is the most kind?” 

“I’d say Derek is pretty kind and very respectful and very knowledgeable about what everybody wants and needs,” says Watt. “I’d give him that one.”

When asked which brother is a mama’s boy, T.J. wasted no time and shot back, “J.J.. For sure.” 

T.J. replied, “Me, of course.” when Randy asked him who the best football player is. 

(We’re waiting for a rebuttal from his brothers on that one.) 

T.J. presented the defensive football players of the year award for the local and state USA TODAY High School Sports Awards. To watch the national show on August 5th, visit: sportsawards.usatoday.com

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Twitter reacts to DE Isaiahh Loudermilk being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers

Former Wisconsin defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk was drafted in the fifth round (156th) of the 2021 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Former Wisconsin defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk was drafted with the 156th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Related: 2021 NFL draft: The Pittsburgh Steelers select Wisconsin DE Isaiahh Loudermilk No. 156 overall

Loudermilk played four seasons with the Badgers and had 62 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, eight pass deflections and two forced fumbles in his Wisconsin career. The Howard, Kansas, native will join two former Badgers on the Steelers, Derek and T.J. Watt.

Here are some of the best Twitter reactions to Isaiahh Loudermilk being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers:

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Steelers restructure contract of FB Derek Watt

In a move to free up cap space, the Pittsburgh Steelers restructured the contract of fullback Derek Watt.

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to make moves to get under the 2021 salary cap. This time it’s fullback Derek Watt, who had his contract restructured. According to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport, it frees up $880,000 in cap space.

Watt was largely unused last season as a blocking back as the Steelers essentially abandoned the run game just over a month into the season. Watt also dealt with an injury that kept him on the sideline for four games.

Watt’s signing was sold as a move to advance the run game but has largely been a Watt brothers publicity stunt. This restructure means Watt will be on the team in 2021, but it remains to be seen if he will impact the offense.

Expect this restructure to be one of many before the start of the new league year on March. 17.

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