Steelers' T.J. Watt Fined $25K for Helmet Removal After Sacking Ravens' Lamar Jackson

The NFL fined Pittsburgh Steelers superstar pass-rusher T.J. Watt on Saturday for two separate infractions during the team's 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Watt was fined a total of $25,132 for unsportsmanlike conduct as a result of removing his helmet on the field of play after a game-sealing sack of quarterback Lamar Jackson, and for unnecessary roughness stemming from a hit on Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers.

Watt was a force in Pittsburgh's upset home win, recording two sacks, two passes defended and one fumble recovery.

After Pittsburgh took a 14-10 lead late in the fourth quarter, Jackson fumbled on a sack by Alex Highsmith, and Watt recovered it to set up a Chris Boswell field goal.

Baltimore got the ball back down by seven with 49 seconds left, but Watt snuffed out their comeback hopes with a sack on a fourth-and-7 play.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 3-2 on the season and took the AFC North lead thanks to holding the tiebreaker over the Ravens.

The 29-year-old Watt has perhaps been the biggest difference-maker for the Steelers over the past several years due to his ability to impact the game so significantly with his pass-rushing ability.

Picked 30th overall in the 2017 NFL draft out of Wisconsin, Watt entered 2023 having earned five Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro nods and one NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in six seasons.

Watt was an All-Pro in three straight seasons from 2019 to 2021, including his DPOY campaign in 2021 when he tied Michael Strahan for the NFL single-season sack record with 22.5.

Although Watt missed seven games due to injury last season and finished with a career-low 5.5 sacks, he was still selected to the Pro Bowl for a fifth straight year.

Watt is on pace for a career year in 2023, as he leads the NFL with eight sacks in five games, while also registering 15 tackles, four passes defended, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

The Steelers and Watt are on the bye this week before returning in Week 7 to face the Los Angeles Rams on the road.