The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year race was one for the ages.
Myles Garrett wound up taking the award home, as he made the biggest impact, even though his numbers weren’t the most prominent.
Notably, that led Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt to feel snubbed.
Shortly after Garrett was announced as the winner, Watt took to X to claim that he was already used to things like that.
Nothing I’m not used to.
— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) February 9, 2024
He also skipped the NFL Honors Award ceremony.
When asked about Watt’s reaction, Garrett smiled and claimed he had never complained about not winning any trophy (via Mary Kay Cabot).
#Browns Myles Garrett on #Steelers T.J. Watt’s negative reax on X last year when Garrett won #NFL Defensive Player of the Year: pic.twitter.com/kp1UufKUAF
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 19, 2024
Watt led the league with 19 sacks, five more than Garrett, who only logged one in the final six games.
The Steelers’ star also logged more QB hits, tackles, tackles for loss, interceptions, and fumble recoveries.
Even so, Garrett ran away with 165 points to Watt’s 140, including 23 first-place votes to Watt’s 19.
Still, it’s worth noting that Watt usually had a red carpet to get to the opposing quarterback, whereas Garrett had to shake off two or three defenders and rarely got a holding call to go his way.
You couldn’t go wrong with any of these two pass rushers.
They’re probably No. 1 and No. 2 in that regard, and whoever ranks at the top is pretty much subjective.
This time around, however, Watt is the oddsmakers’ favorite to win the distinction, and it’ll be interesting to see Garrett’s reaction or whether he decides to troll Watt if that’s the case.
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