'A great honor I don't take lightly': OLB T.J. Watt voted Steelers MVP a record 5th time

During a season in which he recorded his 100th career sack, T.J. Watt carved his name into Pittsburgh Steelers lore by becoming the first player in franchise history to be named team MVP five times.

It marks the second consecutive season Watt was named Steelers MVP in a vote of his teammates. He previously won the award from 2019-21.

“It’s awesome,” Watt said Wednesday. “It’s a great honor I don’t take lightly. It matters most to the guys that see what I do each and every day. To have it come from them means a lot to me.”

Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick won in 2022. Wide receiver Antonio Brown won MVP honors four times, in 2011, ’13, ’15 and ’17.

Watt has 61 tackles (40 solo), 11 1/2 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss, 27 quarterback hits, six forced fumbles, four passes defensed, three strip sacks and two fumble recoveries in 16 games this season. He is the only player in the NFL to rank among the top six in forced fumbles (first), strip sacks (tied for first), tackles for loss (second), sacks (tied for fourth), quarterback hits (fifth) and fumble recoveries (tied for sixth).

Watt recorded his 100th career sack against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5, becoming the second-fastest player to reach 100 career sacks by doing so in 109 career games. He is the Steelers’ all-time sack leader with 108, the third most in league history by a player in their first eight seasons.

Watt also earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording seven tackles and two sacks, including one that forced a fumble, in the Week 8 win over the New York Giants.