"Insane to pay him anything": Steelers’ owner Art Rooney II’s cousin sounds off against T.J. Watt's extension

Pittsburgh Steelers ownership may be moving toward a contract resolution with T.J. Watt, but not everyone connected to the Rooney family believes it’s a logical move.

Patrick Rooney Jr., who shares family ties with team president Art Rooney II, has publicly dismissed the idea of a high-dollar commitment to the veteran linebacker.

Though he has no stake or formal role in the organization, Rooney Jr.’s remarks have attracted widespread local coverage due to the Rooney family name.

He was appearing on the "Palm Beach Kennel Club Picks" podcast, which covers gambling and sports betting topics on Thursday. He argued that rewarding T.J. Watt with a major extension at this stage of his career would be reckless.

"T.J.'s a great player," Rooney Jr. said, "great Steelers, insane to pay him anything right now ... he's 31-years-old."

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: Pittsburgh Steelers v Baltimore Ravens - Source: Getty

The episode was later removed from the podcast feed, though the comments quickly reached across Pittsburgh sports radio.

One of the most prominent voices to weigh in was "93.7 The Fan" host Adam Crowley. On air, he poked fun at the notion that a cousin’s opinion should influence front-office plans.

Rooney Jr. dismisses Steelers' AFC North championship hopes after T.J. Watt contract opinion

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: Pittsburgh Steelers v Baltimore Ravens - Source: Getty

Rooney Jr.’s skepticism wasn’t limited to T.J. Watt’s future. He also implored whether the Steelers can realistically challenge for the AFC North this season. He cited strong divisional competition as another reason to be cautious about investing heavily in aging stars.

Meanwhile, discussions about Watt’s next deal have only grown more complicated. Rival pass rusher Myles Garrett secured a massive extension from Cleveland, with reported total guarantees exceeding $120 million.

However, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, less than half of that figure was guaranteed the day Garrett signed. Speaking on "The Fan," Florio emphasized the distinction between injury protection and full guarantees. He pointed out that Pittsburgh could still construct a comparable offer without matching every headline number.

Team insiders anticipate that the standoff could continue into training camp. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently noted that Watt could repeat his 2021 "hold-in" strategy, reporting to camp but skipping practices while awaiting a new deal.

This time, the stakes are even higher. T.J. Watt is approaching the final season on his current deal while the market for elite edge defenders continues to escalate. Max Crosby’s agreement in Las Vegas set another benchmark earlier this offseason. Several other star pass rushers, including Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson, could soon land record-setting contracts of their own.