Bill Belichick Spent Several Minutes Praising T.J. Watt Ahead Of Patriots-Steelers Week Game

The New England Patriots have a 2-10 at this point of the season. It’s a bad season for the team and pretty much everyone should be held responsible for the mess. Head coach Bill Belichick has tried several scenarios throughout the entire season, but his players won just a couple of games. The Patriots are now getting ready for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As you may be guessing, reporters ask different questions about the game. Belichick is a man of a few words, but he sure had something to say about T.J. Watt.

Believe it or not, Belichick delivered a two-minute soliloquy on Watt’s dominance on the football field. Belichick has great respect for his skill set and football IQ.

“You know, he’s a very, he’s an instinctive player. He’s very quick off the ball. He has a good edge pass rush,” Belichick said of Watt. “He’s got really good, lower body strength and balance. He does a very good job of closing to the quarterback and rarely gets knocked off balance. He might get hit, but he’s able to play through contact and stay on his track. Really does a good job of condensing the pocket. Even when he doesn’t hit the quarterback, he forces the quarterback into a smaller space that helps everybody else who’s rushing.”

Bill Belichick loves him some TJ Watt.

Asked him about the Steelers edge player. He went on for nearly three minutes… and there was more.

Instincts. Quickness. Strength. Balance. Closing speed. You name it. @ABC6 #ForeverNE #NEvsPIT pic.twitter.com/eVXlwe5xnb

— Ian Steele (@IanSteeleABC6) December 6, 2023

And his team will have to go against this player. New England players have to gear up for the Pittsburgh game.

Belichick likes T.J. Watt

Belichick didn’t stop here. He praised Watt’s ability to make plays even when he is “blocked.” The talented player knows how to pull out a play and Belichick appreciates it.

“He’s a very good pursuit player,” Belichick added. “He makes a lot of plays from the backside or makes plays where you think he’s blocked. You think he’s out of the play and he’s able to cross face the block or get back in the play and has enough speed and desire, or I would say motor, to get to some of those places on the backside when you think that he should be a non-factor and he ends up making a play.

“He’s got good ball awareness … so he can sort of anticipate where the ball is gonna be thrown. But also he gets in close proximity to the quarterback so that if he gets his hand in the throwing lane he’s able to either affect the throw or possibly get his hand on the ball. He’s got that really good reach move with his left hand. He’s gotten a lot of strip sacks on that through the years where he’s engaged with a blocker and still is able to knock the ball out of the quarterback’s hand with that left arm reach. I’d say that’s kind of his patented move and he’s really, really good at it.”

Belichick doesn’t mince his words whenever it comes to praising great players. Watt worked really hard to get here. His game is sharp and most NFL teams cannot handle him.