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It'd be a miracle for TJ Watt to be named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. As much as the sports media talked about the Steelers not being "that good" and being "overrated", the people never got to actually hear about how great Watt really is.
The media and voters will probably reward Aaron Donald, who wouldn't be an undeserving winner (tied for second in sacks, a big part of the number one defense in the NFL in terms of YPG and PPG). But a BIG reason for why Aaron would win the award again is name recognition.
It's not to say that Aaron Donald is a player who coasts throughout the season and is living off of reputation. That is the furthest thing from the truth about him as a player. He is the most consistent player in the NFL and one of the best people have seen in the past ten years.
There have been a few names on defense this season who have been sensational. TJ Watt, Aaron Donald, Xavien Howard, Myles Garrett. Howard had another great season at the cornerback position, Myles had his best season to date as did TJ. And Aaron led his team back to the playoffs.
Let's state a few facts: TJ Watt is the ONLY defensive player (as of now) to be named Defensive Player of the Month multiple times this season. Garrett, Budda Baker, Cameron Jordan, and Lavonte David are the others. I say "as of now" because the last ones have yet to be revealed.
TJ Watt led the NFL in sacks (15), tackles for a loss (26), and quarterback hits (41). In tackles for a loss, his closest competitor is Arizona Cardinals linebacker Haason Reddick, who has six less (20). All of this in a game less than Donald, Za'Darius Smith, Khalil Mack, etc.
TJ Watt has had four games with two or more sacks. That is more than Donald, Reddick, Smith, and Trey Hendrickson, all of whom are in the top five in sacks and behind Watt.
Now this is where name recognition comes in. ESPN First Take, Undisputed, First Things First, Speak for Yourself, The Herd, NFL Live, Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption, Get Up, whatever talking head sports show on the big channels BARELY or almost NEVER mentions TJ Watt!
In discussions about Most Valuable Players who are not quarterbacks, you hear Derrick Henry, Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Khalil Mack, Jamal Adams, Dalvin Cook, etc. But TJ Watt's name barely gets any mention unless they're talking about JJ Watt.
You hear discussions about top defensive players and you hear Donald, Mack, Garrett, JJ Watt, Joey or Nick Bosa, Jamal Adams, Bobby Wagner, etc. But TJ Watt's name is never mentioned. 42.5 sacks for the last three seasons has gone unnoticed by the media (that isn't Pittsburgh).
TJ Watt, now 3x Pro Bowler, a more than likely 2x All-Pro edge rusher, and a definite contender for Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season will probably go under the radar because the media simply wants to discuss other things regarding the Steelers.
I know one thing: I would rather TJ Watt be celebrated for his great play by his teammates, coaches, and fans than hear about the inconsistencies of the offense, the injuries on the defense, and the media's incessant "Yeah, but" attitude towards the Steelers.
So now I hear that the race for the Defensive Player of the Year is a "tie" between Aaron Donald and TJ Watt. Are you sure that the media knows that TJ Watt is in the NFL? Is this not just the media's attempt at faux objectivity? Is ANYONE not on NFL Network (maybe) aware of TJ?
Because I can count on one hand the explicit references or mentions of TJ Watt this season from ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, or NBC Sports shows: One on NFL Live (just to say he's not Aaron Donald), one on Undisputed YESTERDAY, and one on Sunday Night in Football LAST WEEK!
TJ Watt has had ten multiple sack games in his four year NFL career (the Steelers are 9-0-1 in those games) and the media wouldn't know how great that is because the media doesn't play attention to TJ Watt or talk about anything the Steelers do that is actually good.
Here's what I've heard from the media: I HAVE heard from the media an attempt to cause division between the receivers because JuJu Smith-Schuster didn't have a 1,000 yard season. I HAVE heard about the O-line being called "soft". I HAVE heard the Steelers get called "overrated".
I HAVE heard about the "beginning of the end of Mike Tomlin", a headline I saw TWO WEEKS AGO. I HAVE heard about how media members said that the Steelers had the worst quarterback in the AFC North. I HAVE heard about how media members say that they would finish SEVEN AND NINE!
