T. J. Watt joins Sports Illustrated from Radio Row ahead of Super Bowl 58. The All-pro found it a point to mention how great Mike Tomlin is as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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00:00 Ladies and gentlemen, I have the first time three-time sack leader
00:06 TJ watt, how we doing big dog? I'm doing well, man. Thanks for having me. I'm happy to be here. Yes, sir
00:11 Yes, sir. Okay. Let's talk about the game. Let's get into the game real quick
00:14 Who has a bigger impact we have Chris Jones or Nick Bosa. I
00:17 Mean, that's a huge question. I think it's gonna be decided on game day. Whoever has the bigger game
00:23 I'm obviously is gonna affect the game the most and probably give their team the best chance of victory
00:28 Both those guys have had an incredible year though. Yeah, who would you?
00:31 Who would you predict that's gonna win the game this week? Who you got dog?
00:35 It's hard to bet I think it's hard to bet against Pat it is it really is hard to bet against Pat
00:39 I think it's the Chiefs
00:39 The only way the Chiefs don't get it done is if Chris Jones in that pass rush
00:42 Or sorry as if Nick Bosa in that pass rush gets after him, but I don't see my homes going down
00:48 All right, Patrick P said Patrick Peterson's good buddy mine golf buddy
00:53 He said you are probably the most fiercest dude in that locker room
00:56 Talk a little bit about playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers and what it means to you to you know
01:01 Be there like almost kind of being part of the steel curtain, but you know in modern-day times
01:05 Yeah, I mean, I'm living my dream. I really am. I don't take it for granted
01:09 I'm very fortunate to be able to play a game that I love for living and I'd to be able to do in Pittsburgh with
01:14 all the the legacy and tradition that we have
01:17 It's a dream come true
01:18 And I only get to play this game for a certain amount of years and I'm running out of those years as I continue to
01:24 Get older so I want to maximize as much as I can and help my team win as much as possible so that we can
01:28 Get back to winning playoff games and getting back to what's the other football is all about
01:32 Okay, so you talk about legacy and obviously you and your brother have basically cemented yourselves in NFL history now
01:39 It was kind of rumored that your brother
01:42 Almost was going to be a Steeler
01:45 Coming out of retirement. Is there any truth to that? And if so, would you love to play with your brother?
01:50 I would love to play with him. Obviously, I think that ship has sailed at this point
01:54 But yeah that we were trying to get it done. I mean it was a situation where I think he wanted
01:58 to handpick where he wanted to go if a team was going to be in playoff contention and show positive things and
02:04 It didn't end up happening for us, but uh, I'm happy
02:07 I'm sure he's happy looking back now that he's healthy and he doesn't have to worry about all the soreness of coming back
02:13 I see right for sure. So let's talk about the Steeler season
02:16 Obviously it started off a little bit rocky, but y'all towards the end of season y'all were balling
02:21 You made it to the playoffs talk a little bit about the resiliency that you had in y'all's locker room to just make that happen
02:26 Yeah, I mean Mike T's incredible. He's a phenomenal motivator. Never too high. Never too low always very even keel
02:33 Knows how to motivate the room and at the end of the day
02:36 We understand that losing isn't acceptable and to have a good mix of young and old guys in locker room helps
02:43 to be able to galvanize and turn the season around like we were able to
02:45 But at the end of day it wasn't enough and we need to get back to the drawing board
02:49 We need to improve on the things we need to improve on but also build on the things that we did
02:53 Well and move in the next season. Yeah. All right, so you spoke about my tea
02:58 I've heard a lot about my team
03:00 But what do you say to fans and the people that are critical about him and wanting him out of Pittsburgh?
03:05 I mean, it's it's a little crazy to me just because I see all the work behind the scenes
03:10 I see how much he wants that I see just
03:12 The way that he motivates us
03:15 I mean how he can relate to a guy from Wisconsin versus a guy from Florida or Texas or all different types of backgrounds
03:21 it's a skill to be able to relate and motivate guys like that and
03:26 He's been doing well for a reason. He's the best man
03:29 Are you the best defensive player in the league? That's subjective question, man. That's for you to answer not for me to answer
03:37 Nobody's done it. I mean your brother's been here doing this thing for he was playing for a long time
03:42 But nobody has ever said I have been I've led the league in sacks three times. I appreciate it
03:48 I will give you that for sure. I appreciate it. Okay, so you're here with USAA. Talk to us a little bit about your partnership
03:53 Yeah, I part of the USA the official NFL Salute of Service partner to gift Staff Sergeant Adam Alexander and his father-in-law
03:59 Two tickets to the Super Bowl this weekend. He was over fighting for our country in Afghanistan. He was struck by enemy sniper fire
04:07 And he was only given a 5% chance to live and he overcame those odds. He's back in Oshkosh
04:13 working with
04:15 veterans on a daily basis and I'm just so excited to meet him tomorrow and other veterans and military members and guests in the
04:22 USA lounge and just to show my appreciation
04:25 We get to sit here and talk in microphones and talk about my career and how I'm living out my dreams because of guys like
04:32 Him that sacrifice for our country and our freedoms. So I'm very fortunate for that partnership
04:36 Ladies and gentlemen, TJ Watt.
04:38 (whooshing)