T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers. (Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are wondering why T.J. Watt did not end up with the NFL’s single-season sack record all by himself vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
Though T.J. Watt tied Michael Strahan for the most sacks in a single NFL season, some Pittsburgh Steelers fans believe he was robbed of one more vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
The play in question saw Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley get a bad snap from center Bradley Bozeman out of the ‘gun. He recovered the football, but was tackled behind the line of scrimmage by Watt, who took him down for a loss of yardage. This play would have tied Strahan with 22.5 sacks on the season, but he needed one more play that he got later on Huntley to hit the mark.
Did the referees conspire to prevent Watt from breaking Strahan’s 20-year-old NFL sack record?
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt ties single-season sack mark
No, the referees did not conspire to keep Watt from getting the all-time sack record. No amount of terrible towels thrown in spite onto the field would have made the play in question a sack. This is because the bad snap from Bozeman to Huntley was deemed a fumble on the center. This is the right ruling, and even though Watt tackled Huntley for a loss of yardage, it was not deemed a sack.
Even if the 2021 NFL season was expanded to 17 games, Watt amassed his 22.5 sacks in only 15 of them. While Steelers fans can wonder all day and night about what he could have done with just one more game, he finds himself tied atop the record with a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Watt still has plenty of ball left in the tank, but he too is on a Canton trajectory as a star pass-rusher.
Had the exchange been cleaner between Bozeman and Huntley, Watt could have had 23.5 sacks.