One of the biggest snubs after the 2020 NFL season was in regards to TJ Watt. It is not surprising that the Associated Press would vote Aaron Donald over TJ Watt, but you have to admit Watt should have been the Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. Especially after getting snubbed in 2019 to a cornerback. Watt lead in all categories compared to Aaron Donald, but it seems the Associated Press felt Donald did a lot more damage being inside the Defensive Line rather than outside like Watt. You still cannot deny that Watt had better statistics in 2020.
Bleacher Report says with all due respect to Aaron Donald, TJ Watt should have been Defensive Player of the Year. Even though he has been snubbed for the past two seasons the good news is Watt will still be up for the award in the future. The bad news is I think it will take at least 20 sacks a season in order for him to finally get it because the AP is so biased toward Watt.
According to ESPN TJ Watt had the best pass-rush win rate of anyone in the NFL. Watt was at 29 percent and Donald was at 24. The biggest test for TJ Watt going forward will be if he can keep producing solid numbers due to Bud Dupree leaving Pittsburgh. It is fair to say TJ Watt made Bud Dupree and I believe Watt will also help Highsmith tremendously in Pittsburgh too. As long as Watt can stay healthy on the football field in Pittsburgh I believe he will continue to post monster numbers.
One of the reasons Watt will continue to post big numbers is because he is in a perfect system with the Steelers organization and I believe the system in tandem with his talent has made him the player he has become. Therefore TJ Watt's numbers should continue to increase as he becomes a Veteran in the league. Bleacher Report predicts TJ Watt will continue to produce big numbers in 2021 with 57 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. If those numbers hold up he will be in the running for the Defensive Player of the Year award, but I think he needs to aim for 20 sacks going forward.
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