Sunday was a very good day for the Steelers as a team and for linebacker T.J. Watt as an individual.
Watt dropped Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley for a sack late in the first half and that moved him into a tie with Michael Strahan for the NFL’s official record for most sacks in a season. Watt thought he’d tied the record earlier in the game when he tackled Huntley after the Ravens quarterback recovered a fumble on what was ruled an aborted snap and he had a half-sack taken away due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on Cameron Heyward, so he had to settle for the tie when all was said and done.
“It’s definitely a cool feeling,” Watt said, via Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I don’t know if any of it’s really hit me. It’s not just myself. There’s so many great players, coaches and schemes — a lot of selfless guys in that locker room who have allowed me to make plays. That record is not just mine.”
Watt finished the day with five tackles, three quarterback hits, and a forced fumble and the Steelers wound up making the playoffs with an overtime win. Watt, who missed two games and big parts of two others this season, said the result left him “hungrier than ever” and he’ll be chasing Patrick Mahomes around Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday night.