"Come home": Packers fans recruit T.J. Watt as Steelers star holds out from mandatory minicamp amid contract dispute

It was speculated for months that Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt would be a hold out as he awaits a new contract. The 30-year-old did not arrive at mandatory mini camp on Tuesday morning and apparently won't participate in any training until he agrees to a new contract.

NFL Network's NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday morning that the Pittsburgh Steelers and T.J. Watt haven't made any progress toward a new deal at this point.

Expand Tweet

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

The news of T.J. Watt not attending the Pittsburgh Steelers' mini camp had some fans from the Green Bay Packers encouraging their team to pursue the edge rusher. Some fans believe the Wisconsin native who also played for the Badgers at the collegiate level, should go back to his home state.

"PACKER!"-one Green Bay fan said

"Go get him Gute."-one Packers fan encouraged

"Bring him back to Wisconsin.."-one person stated

There were also Green Bay Packers fans who mentioned the release of Jaire Alexander, which now freed up $17 million in salary cap space for the 2025 NFL season. Watt signed a four-year contract extension in September 2021, worth $112 million, with $80 million guaranteed.

"Dude wants to be a Packer so bad."-one person on X predicted

"Come home to the Packers."-wrote another

"Money just got freed up in GB."-one fan hinted

T.J. Watt's mini camp absence could total over $100,000 in fines

The Pittsburgh Steelers' drama regarding their roster continues. The team's top concern was signing a quarterback and after months of speculation, Aaron Rodgers finally signed with Pittsburgh late last week.

With their quarterback woes taken care of, the Steelers now face a financial dilemma with T.J. Watt. While the Steelers will need to come to a deal in the near future, Watt will take a financial hit for not attending mini camp.

Expand Tweet

Watt will receive a $17,462 fine for missing Tuesday's mini camp practice. If he misses the second day, the fine will rise to $34,925 and an absence on Day 3 will cost Watt $52,381, totaling $104,768 in fines for missing mandatory mini camp.

Watt's current salary is $28 million, which compared to Myles Garrett's new contract which pays him $40 million a season, is seen as a salary on the lower end.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

Know More

Green Bay Packers Fans! Check out the latest Packers Schedule and dive into the Green Bay Packers Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Rajdeep Barman