Pittsburgh Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt was denied the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award, finishing fourth in the voting. Watt, who had a stellar season with 11.5 sacks, was beaten out by Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain, Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Watt’s quiet finish to the season, during which he failed to register a statistic due to ankle and thumb injuries, likely hurt his chances of taking home the award. Despite this, Watt still had an impressive season and will look to bounce back strong in 2025.
Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward also received recognition, earning one second-place vote for Defensive Player of the Year. Heyward had a remarkable season, earning another First-Team All-Pro nod and racking up 8.5 sacks.
