Plays of the Year: T.J. Watt doubles his sack total in first preseason game

Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the tops runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between for the Steelers 2017 season.

Before he was even drafted, T.J. Watt had a lot of hype surrounding him. The younger brother of three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, T.J. was already entering the NFL with high expectations.

Those expectations soared after becoming the Steelers first-round selection of the 2017 NFL Draft. The younger Watt didn’t only have to step into the shadow of his big brother, he also walked into a line of succession which featured countless Steelers greats who played the linebacker position.

Therefore, all eyes were glued to Pittsburgh’s first preseason game of the 2017 season, where fans would get their first glimpse of what the rookie defender might be capable of.

And Watt didn’t disappoint!

The outside linebacker made his presence felt on the Steelers very first defensive series of the preseason when the team went on the road to face the New York Giants. On 3rd-and-7, Watt showcased his motor, which didn’t stop en route to his first sack in a black and gold uniform.

However, Watt was finished, giving Steelers Nation an encore… on the Giants very next possession. And it wasn’t only their next possession, but their very next play.

QB Josh Johnson again drops back to pass, but New York would make a crucial error in letting the Steelers first round draft pick go unblocked.

Watt makes an excellent read, recognizing the quarterback kept the ball and sprinting to, and finishing the tackle, for his second sack of the game, which was only the beginning of a strong rookie season and hopefully, an even stronger Steelers career.