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    Can Steelers' TJ Watt join brother JJ as an NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner?

    Pittsburgh linebacker TJ Watt is +1600 at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
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    Houston Texans end JJ Watt is a lock future Hall of Famer and arguably one of the best in NFL history at his position, also one of just two players to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times. Yet at this point, JJ isn't even be the best defensive player in his own family. That would be brother TJ, a Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker who is +1600 to win Defensive Player of the Year on the William Hill sportsbook moneyline odds. JJ is a +900 second-favorite.

    While JJ has had trouble staying healthy in recent years, TJ has missed just one game in his three-year career as the No. 30 overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Wisconsin. A lot of general managers are still kicking themselves for not taking TJ earlier in that round.

    Last year, the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Watt had 35 tackles, 14.5 sacks (career high), eight forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He was named an All-Pro and the team's Most Valuable Player. No edge defender graded higher via Pro Football Focus. Only three players – the Rams' Aaron Donald, Cardinals' Chandler Jones and Vikings' Danielle Hunter -- have had more sacks than Watt's 27.5 over the past two seasons. Those three all are locked into huge long-term contracts.

    Back in April, the Steelers exercised the fifth-year rookie option on TJ's contract, but he's going to get pad monster money very soon – probably the biggest contract ever for a defensive player barring major injury in 2020. That currently belongs to the Chargers' Joey Bosa, who recently got $102 million guaranteed and $27 million annually.

    Watt was voted the 25th-best player in the league by his peers in the annual NFL Top 100 list. That was a 68-spot improvement from the previous season. JJ, incidentally, was picked at No. 45 this year.

    The last Steeler to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year was safety Troy Polamalu in 2010. 

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    SportsLine Staff

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