Arr, TJ Watt be losin' the coveted Defensive Player o' the Year award! Walk the plank, matey!
2024-02-09
Avast ye scurvy dogs! 'Tis be known that the fierce buccaneer T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers plundered the NFL with 19.0 sacks in the 2023 season! Alas, the fools denied him the coveted title of Defensive Player of the Year. Ahoy! He be one salty seadog!
T.J. Watt, the linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, led the NFL in sacks during the 2023 regular season but did not receive the Defensive Player of the Year award. Despite being named a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler, Watt finished in second place in the voting. The award instead went to Myles Garrett, a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, who won it for the first time in his career. Watt expressed his frustrations on X (formerly Twitter), stating that it was nothing new for him.This is not the first time Watt has been passed over for the award. In 2021, he was named Defensive Player of the Year when he tied the all-time NFL record for sacks in a single season. However, he has led the league in sacks three times in the last four seasons and has consistently been a standout player. Watt's older brother, J.J. Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, also weighed in on the situation, highlighting the statistics that showed T.J. Watt outperformed Garrett.
Other players in the running for the award included Micah Parsons, an edge rusher for the Dallas Cowboys, who finished in third place. Parsons was content with the outcome and praised Garrett's performance. In the end, Garrett received 165 points and 23 first-place votes, while Watt had 19 first-place votes and 140 total points. Garrett recorded 14.0 sacks and made his fifth Pro Bowl appearance. The race was close, but Watt ultimately fell short once again.
Overall, Watt's disappointment and the reactions from other players highlight the subjective nature of awards in the NFL and the opinions of those involved. Despite not receiving the honor, Watt's outstanding performance on the field is undeniable.