The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason has been relatively quiet, but social media never sleeps – especially when it comes to star players and contract situations.
A simple two-finger pose in an Instagram photo has somehow morphed into a full-blown conspiracy theory among the Steelers faithful, who are reading between lines that might not even exist.
And it all revolves around one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive forces.
Oh Boy: TJ Watt just posted this on his IG story…😳
Watt is seeking an extension with only one year left on his contract. pic.twitter.com/qwKojQtvTR
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 9, 2025
T.J. Watt is entering the final year of his current deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and naturally, extension talks are a hot topic.
The edge rusher signed a four-year, $112 million contract in 2021, but after racking up an impressive 30.5 sacks over just two seasons, he’s arguably outperformed that agreement already.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting, coming right after Steelers GM Omar Khan’s lukewarm comments at the NFL owners meetings.
When directly questioned about Watt’s future, Khan offered only that he’s “hopeful” the defensive star retires with the organization – hardly the firm commitment fans were looking for from their front office.
In reality, Watt’s cryptic photo probably doesn’t warrant the panic it’s causing. With no caption or message attached, it’s a massive leap to interpret it as some kind of farewell signal.
The three-time All-Pro is set to earn $21.05 million in the final year of his current contract – a figure that, while substantial, falls well short of what elite pass rushers are commanding in today’s market.
For a fanbase already on edge about potentially losing their best defensive player, every social media post becomes a test of anxiety.
But perhaps everyone should take a deep breath – we’re still months away from anything resembling a contract deadline, and a simple two-finger pose might just be… a pose.
