What happened: Watt drew a fresh round of praise after posting two sacks, four tackles, three tackles for loss and a pick six for Pittsburgh. The Steelers also celebrated him as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Why it matters: That is the kind of all-field production Pittsburgh expects from T.J. Watt when the defense needs a game-swinging playmaker. The stat line also pushed him into early Defensive Player of the Year chatter as the 2026 regular season gets underway.

What to watch: The next marker is whether Watt can stack another disruptive outing and keep Pittsburgh's defense driving the early-season story. Additional league honors or a firmer awards push would sharpen that conversation.