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It’s a good thing T.J. Watt broke the Steelers sack record in less than 16 games

T.J. Watt is having the greatest season in Steelers history when it comes to sacking quarterbacks. Fortunately, he did it in the 16-game window, thus shutting down any future debates on the matter.

Tennessee Titans v Pittsburgh Steelers Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Steelers superstar outside linebacker, T.J. Watt, recorded his 17th sack against the Titans at Heinz Field on Sunday afternoon, thus breaking James Harrison’s single-season team record of 16.

Thank goodness. I’m not saying that because I’m this huge Watt fan that lives and dies for everything he does (that’s how I was with Michael Jackson way back in the day). I just didn’t want to have to listen to years of bickering between Watt and Harrison fans had the former not broken the latter’s record until the 17th regular-season game, a game that wasn’t in existence when Harrison, that season’s Defensive Player of the Year, set the old mark back in 2008.

I don’t know if you realize this or not, but people like to debate things on the Internet. Non-stop. We’re talking 24/7/365. Why, just a few weeks ago, I had the audacity to go on Twitter and celebrate the ACC title that the University of Pittsburgh football program won thanks to its victory over Wake Forest, and some Penn State fan chimed in with, “Yeah, enjoy it, loser. We Penn State fans have won things in the past.” Anyway, someone else countered this person. I also joined in for a few hours, but like any rational person, I gave up and went about my business—namely, working and sleeping. However, this discussion between the Penn State jerk and the other person lasted another seven days.

Like I said, 24/7/365.

Where was I? Oh, yeah, Watt’s single-season team sack record. You know what I really want now? I want Watt, who actually has 17.5 sacks, to record six more over the next two games. This would break the NFL’s single-season sack record of 22.5 set by the Giants’ Michael Strahan way back in 2001.

I realize this is a tall order, but Watt has tallied all of his sacks despite missing two full games and parts of others. He’s having an amazing year and should really be on the cusp of breaking the mark if not for his injury issues in 2021. Anyway, he has a great chance of setting the single-season mark, thanks to the added 17th game, which would still be amazing. Yes, Strahan fans would probably refute and reject Watt’s accomplishment, but you know how those Good Morning America fans are.

Actually, Watt has a really good chance of beating his brother, J.J. Watt’s, single-season mark of 20.5 sacks, a feat he accomplished twice in his storied career. If the younger Watt brother can get 3.5 sacks before that 17th regular-season game sets in, he’d always have the bragging rights at family gatherings. If it takes T.J. a little longer, though, well, you know how those big brothers can be.

In conclusion, with T.J. Watt on such a prolific sack run, if he doesn’t win Defensive Player of the Year for 2021, I encourage his fans to take to the Internet and debate this miscarriage of justice for as long as they desire.