T.J. Watt NFL Top 100 Ranking: Why No. 41 Is Too Low
- Football Nation
- Aug 6
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 7
T.J. Watt is No. 41 in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026, a 30-place fall that says more about his reduced sack total than his remaining impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The player-voted list, released by NFL.com, credited Watt with 55 tackles, seven sacks, 19 quarterback hits, two interceptions, eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two recoveries in 14 games during the 2025 season. He also earned an eighth consecutive Pro Bowl selection as Pittsburgh won the AFC North.
Those numbers support a drop from last year. They do not make No. 41 an easy ranking to defend.
Why Watt fell 30 places
The simplest explanation is the sack column. Watt’s seven sacks were far below the production that made him the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year and a regular top-15 presence in player rankings. Missing three games also reduced his cumulative production and his number of nationally visible moments.
A player vote naturally rewards availability and memorable results. Watt’s 2025 season was good, not dominant by his extraordinary standard. The ranking correctly recognizes that distinction.
What No. 41 misses
NFL Pro Insight supplied the most important context: Watt was chip-blocked on 30.8 percent of his pass rushes, the highest rate in the league. He drew 134 chips, second only to Myles Garrett, despite playing three fewer games.
A chip block forces a tight end or running back to help before releasing into a route. It can also shift the protection and create one-on-one opportunities for another defender. Watt can therefore affect an offense before he records a sack, hit or pressure. Opponents still treated him as Pittsburgh’s primary threat.
His two interceptions, eight passes defensed and three forced fumbles also show that his value extended beyond a traditional edge-rusher box score. The fair conclusion is that Watt was less productive in 2025 without becoming dramatically less important.
T.J. Watt at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp on July 29, 2025. Photo by Cramerwiki, cropped to 16 by 9. CC0 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Why the Steelers still build around Watt
Football Nation’s Pittsburgh Steelers training camp report focused on an offense establishing a new rhythm. The defense has a clearer identity. Watt remains the player every opponent must locate before the snap.
The Steelers need Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and the interior rush to punish protections that lean toward No. 90. If those complementary rushers consistently win isolated matchups, opponents will have to choose between helping on Watt and exposing another pressure point.
That defensive equation will matter in the AFC North’s biggest games. Football Nation’s Steelers versus Ravens Week 14 breakdown reflects how often Pittsburgh’s divisional games turn on protection, pressure and turnovers.
What changes in 2026
Watt’s path back up the list is uncomplicated. He needs to stay available, convert disruption into double-digit sacks and continue creating turnovers. The Steelers need enough complementary pressure to make constant chips expensive.
Pittsburgh is simultaneously managing an older quarterback and a veteran defensive star. Football Nation’s Aaron Rodgers preseason analysis examined the balance between preparation and preservation on offense. Watt presents a similar regular-season calculation: the Steelers need his explosive impact without treating every snap like a survival test.
No. 41 is not disrespectful simply because Watt has a Hall of Fame résumé. His 2025 production opened the door to a fall. But dropping him 30 places while offenses devoted more chip help to him than almost any defender overlooks the clearest evidence of his continuing influence.
If the sack total rebounds while the protection attention remains near the top of the league, this ranking will look like an overcorrection. If the production stays down, No. 41 may prove to be the first accurate signal of a new phase in Watt’s career.
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