With the start of the season less than a week away, Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt is still declining to practice.
Watt has been sitting out practice since the start of training camp because he wants a new contract, the Steelers haven’t given him one, and he doesn’t want to risk an injury until he has his new contract in place.
Eventually, something will have to give. Either the Steelers will meet Watt’s contract demands, Watt will give in and agree to get back to work without a new contract, or the Steelers are going to have to consider taking disciplinary action against Watt for his refusal to work.
Watt is heading into the fifth and final year of his rookie contract and is scheduled to make a base salary of $10.089 million this season.