Steelers' Mike Tomlin Hails T.J. Watt as 'Best Defensive Player on the Planet'

It's a little early for award season campaigning in the NFL, but Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is getting a head start on the push to get T.J. Watt a Defensive Player of the Year trophy.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Tomlin called Watt "the best defensive player on the planet right now."

Even factoring in Tomlin's bias, it's hard to argue with his assessment right now. Watt is tied for the NFL lead with 13.5 sacks, ranks second with 25 quarterback hits and tied for sixth with 12 tackles for loss.

The Steelers have won three of their last four games and are currently the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Watt has recorded nine quarterback hits and five sacks during this span. He's been putting up big numbers to support the defense, while the offense has struggled all year. The Steelers have scored more than 20 points just four times in 11 games.

Even though Pittsburgh finally broke its streak of 58 consecutive games without gaining at least 400 yards, the offense didn't have much success finding the end zone in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Najee Harris scored the team's only touchdown. Chris Boswell's three field goals accounted for the other points.

There's a lot of competition for Defensive Player of the Year right now. Myles Garrett is arguably the leader in the clubhouse with 23 quarterback hits and 13 sacks. Micah Parsons has been fantastic with 11.5 sacks. DaRon Bland, Parsons' teammate, has a great case with with a league-high seven interceptions, including an NFL-record five returned for touchdowns.

Watt already has one Defensive Player of the Year award in his trophy case when he tied the NFL record with 22.5 sacks during the 2021 season. He will certainly be in the mix for another one, especially if the Steelers are able to make the playoffs.