TJ Watt was not named NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year

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Pittsburgh Steelers outline backer TJ Watt has been turned down for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. Voters instead gave it to Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Donald narrowly pushed Watt away for first place. Miami Dolphins’ CB Xavien Howard comes in third.

Donald won with seven votes, 27-20, from Watt. Howard received three votes.

Watt had a fantastic 2020, leading the competition with 15 sacks. He became only the second Steeler to ever bag the NFL (since the stat became official in 1982), joining Kevin Greene, who had 14 in 1994.

Watt also finished 2020 with an NFL-high 23 tackles for loss. He had a total of 53 tackles and 41 QB hits in 15 starts, while serving the regular season finale against Cleveland. His 49.5 sacks over the first four seasons of his career are an all-time top ten score and by far the most of all Steeler.

But it wasn’t enough to take the hardware home. Donald got the nod, despite having fewer stats in one more game. Donald finished the year with 13.5 sacks to go in 16 games, along with 45 tackles and 14 TFL. The only category that Donald finished better was forced fumbles, which left Watt 4-2. Donald is a great player and future Hall of Famer, but this felt like Watts years. However, the writing seemed to be on the wall with Donald winning the vote in both the NFL.com ballot and the Pro Football Writers Association results.

Six Steelers have won the award, the latest being Troy Polamalu in 2010. The others are: James Harrison, Rod Woodson, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount and Joe Greene. Greene is the only one to win it twice.

The Defensive Player of the Year Award began in 1971, when Minnesota Vikings DT Alan Page won it. Stephon Gilmore, CB of New England Patriots, won it in 2019. Older brother JJ Watt has taken that hardware home three times.

All three Watt brothers responded after the award was announced.

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