Steelers Linebacker T.J. Watt Wins AP Defensive Player Of Year

INGLEWOOD, CA — Following a phenomenal season in which he tied the NFL's single-season sack record, Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt received the 2021 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year Award Thursday.

Watt is in impressive company, joining past previous Steelers who won the award: Joe Greene (1972, 1974), Mel Blount (1975), Jack Lambert (1976), Rod Woodson (1993), James Harrison (2008) and Troy Polamalu (2010). Harrison is the only one of those players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"It's all about tradition here and to be able to put your footprint in as part of the tradition here is special," Watt said at the ceremony. "Doing this with such a wonderful group of guys is what it's all about. To be able to be a part of this franchise hopefully for a long time, this is very special. But I really do have more work to do."

Watt in 2021 tied tying Hall of Famer Michael Strahan's NFL single-season record with 22.5 sacks, leading the NFL in sacks for the second-straight year. He also set a Steelers single-season sack record when he surpassed Harrison, who had 16 sacks in 2008.

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