Steelers' Broderick Jones Tells Hilarious Story About TJ Watt’s Week 1 Speech

The Pittsburgh Steelers were set to start Russell Wilson at quarterback in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, but shortly before the game, Wilson informed Justin Fields that he couldn’t play. This meant Fields would take the starting role, and he was ready for the challenge. One thing that gave him an extra boost was an incredible pre-game speech delivered by TJ Watt.

Fields mentioned how fired up Watt's message made him and the entire team before the Falcons game. He described it as an experience unlike anything he'd ever had, saying it filled him with confidence and focus. Watt, known for his fiery on-field persona, doesn’t say much off the field, but when he’s in the zone, his energy is relentless. A key leader for the Steelers, Watt’s intensity has fueled his teammates and helped solidify his place as one of the league’s best players.

Broderick Jones, speaking with Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, shared a funny story about Watt’s pre-game speech. According to Jones, Watt was so amped up before the Falcons game that he accidentally broke Jones' helmet. Jones recounted the moment in hilarious detail, emphasizing just how hyped Watt was before the team hit the field.

"He fired the whole team up," Jones said. "He didn’t even throw it. He broke it. Somehow, it broke. I don’t know, I’d never seen a helmet break like that."

Jones described how Watt was so fired up, smacking helmets and pumping up the team, that he somehow managed to break Jones' helmet. 

Jones went on to say that Watt doesn’t even need to speak—his energy and presence are contagious, and they instantly get the team ready to play.

"He didn’t even say anything. That’s the point. He just stood up, slammed his helmet — when he does that, you know what time it is."

Watt has been a driving force behind the Steelers' success, if not the biggest reason. When he’s not on the field, the Steelers struggle to win games. His leadership and performance are among the best in the league, and Steeler Nation is incredibly grateful to have him in the black and gold.

In the 2024 season, Watt has lived up to expectations, recording 4.5 sacks, 20 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass defensed. It's been an impressive start, but Steelers fans know Watt has much more production coming. His production has seemed slightly harder without the presence of Alex Highsmith, but he's poised to hit another gear soon.

Steelers' TJ Watt And The Defense Dealing With Some Adversity

Highsmith has been sidelined with an injury, and when he’s on the field, he makes Watt’s path to the quarterback much easier. His absence has added another layer of adversity for Watt, but he’s managed it well. 

Now, Nick Herbig, the promising young player who was filling in for Highsmith, has also gone down with an injury and is expected to miss some time. This only increases the pressure on Watt to be even more dominant.

Getting Highsmith back is crucial for the Steelers, not only to boost Watt’s production but for the defense as a whole. While the unit was dominant through the first three games, they've struggled over the last two. The Steelers are eager to get back on track, with Watt leading the charge. 

His pre-game speech ahead of Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders is sure to fire up the team. Getting Highsmith and Herbig back will be the next big area of focus for the defense in regards to the injury report.