PITTSBURGH – Aaron Rodgers is in the building, but TJ Watt is not.
Watt has not attended the Pittsburgh Steelers mandatory mini-camp this week in pursuit of a new contract.
Watt, who is in the final year of his current contract with the Steelers, skipped a voluntary OTA as he tried to negotiate a new deal earlier this offseason.
“I definitely want him to be here, but I’m not surprised by where we are,” Pittsburgh director Mike Tomlin said. “We expressed our desire to get the business done. He has it, so we will continue to work. We were here before.”
If Watt misses all mini camps for three days, Watt is eligible for a fine of nearly $105,000. Pittsburgh will open a mini-camp on Tuesday, with Rogers set to practice with his new teammates for the first time.
Watt last signed a four-year, $112 million contract in 2021, averaging $28 million a year. Miles Garrett reset the pass rush market three months ago, but signed a record deal with a bond of $40 million a year, with a $123.5 million bond, making it the highest non-square in NFL history.
Watt, who turned 31 in October, has not spoken publicly since the end of the 2024 season, but it appears he expressed his dissatisfaction with the negotiations in April when he posted a photo of himself flashing signs of peace in Steelers Jersey in April.
Meanwhile, the Steelers remain steady in optimism that the deal will be accomplished. General Manager Omar Khan told reporters in March that he “we are very excited that TJ will end his steeler career.”
Watt has 108 carrier sacks. 5.5 more than Garrett, making it the sixth most active NFL players. The four-time All-Pro was the 2021 NFL defensive player of the year, spending his entire eight-year career with the Steelers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
