At minimum, the 2026 Pittsburgh Steelers will look different than they have over the last two decades.
With Mike Tomlin out as head coach and Mike McCarthy in, Pittsburgh is operating under new leadership for the first time in a very long time. For former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, he’s noticed changes even the smallest differences from his first eight seasons compared to his first handful of months under McCarthy.
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“You don’t see benches out here anymore,” Watt said via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “There’s many different ways to do things. We’re just doing things much different than what I’m used to over the last nine years, and it’s good. Change is good for me.”
Watt added that, while learning a new system has been challenging, he’s enjoyed and embraced it.
“[I’m] not going to lie to you, it’s been a lot of studying, a lot of learning, a lot on the iPad,” Watt said. “Also trying to see the new faces, not only players, but coaches. There’s been a lot of really good work. As you guys can see, practices are a little bit different around here. It’s tougher as you get older to get the work in, but it’s all been phenomenal.”
It’s been a rough couple seasons for Watt, whose production has diminished over the last two years. After leading the NFL with 19 sacks in 2023, the former Defensive Player of the Year combined for just 18.5 sacks in 2024 and 2025. Last season was especially disappointing, as Watt totaled just seven sacks, his lowest total in a full season of play since his rookie year in 2017.
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A lot of that halted production, in the eyes of many, stems from Watt lining up in the same spot, which makes even the best player easier to target and slow down. Watt himself admitted that the lack of movement in the past was stubbornness on his part, but that he will play at multiple spots in Patrick Graham’s defense.
”I think in the past, it was a little bit more about me being stubborn,” Watt said. “I think this new system… I really can’t say no. I have to move with it. A lot of us are interchangeable parts. You’re not just learning your position, you kind of have to learn the whole defensive front structure because we all are basically interchangeable. We can do different things, so I think you’re going to see a lot more movement of not just me, but the whole front.”
For the Steelers sake, they hope change on the coaching staff brings change to playoff success. Watt has yet to win a playoff game in his career, and Pittsburgh as a franchise has not won a postseason contest since the 2016 season. With the influx of talent both on the roster and coaching staff, they could finally change that.
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