There's no beating around the bush: Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt was playing like the best defender in the entire league in the Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. And for his performance, he's being recognized as such.
On Wednesday, the NFL announced that Watt was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his spectacular outing against the Falcons, which included two QB hits, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and a pick-six. This was Watt's record-tying ninth Defensive Player of the Week award, giving the Steelers defender another opportunity to make history later this season.
WHO ELSE⁉️
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 16, 2026
Congrats to @_TJWatt on being named AFC Defensive Player of the Week!
📝: https://t.co/t6r2rwm1Lj pic.twitter.com/2B7dKjGksG
Watt was
simply unstoppable in Week 1. He credited much of that success to having his snap count limited, which allowed him to stay fresh for important plays.
In July 2025, Watt signed a huge three-year, $125 million extension with the Steelers. He unfortunately didn't get a chance to live up to the new contract during the 2025 season, as injuries began to pile up for Watt.
Well, Watt wasted little time silencing the doubters to start the 2026 season. If Watt can put together another performance like that against the Steelers' upcoming Week 2 opponent, the New England Patriots, Defensive Player of the Year talk will undoubtedly follow suit.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers' T.J. Watt earns historic NFL honor after monster Week 1
