There was no Pittsburgh Steelers player more impactful in the 2026 regular season opener than T.J. Watt. But the veteran edge rusher did more than just lead his team to a Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons — he made history.
Following his pick-six off Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush, Watt joined Hall of Famer Julius Peppers as the only players in NFL history to record at least 100 career sacks and 10 interceptions. Yes, Watt is that good.
T.J. Watt joins Julius Peppers as the only players with 100 sacks and 10 interceptions since sacks became official in 1982 pic.twitter.com/MXFyPSU6Oh
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) September 13, 2026
There was plenty of noise about Watt's regression heading into 2026, doubt that he absolutely silenced with his stellar two-sack and three-TFL performance,
including an interception returned for a touchdown.
Here's to hoping Watt can put together another elite outing in Week 2 against the New England Patriots, which will be a much bigger challenge than facing an injury-ridden Falcons team.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: T.J. Watt makes rare NFL history in Steelers' Week 1 win over Falcons
