Ben Roethlisberger wonders if the Pittsburgh Steelers would take a stand against T.J. Watt and fine him for his recent actions
The Pittsburgh Steelers and T.J. Watt are not on the best of terms right now. That has been evidenced by the fact that Watt didn't show up for anything in the spring or summer in search of a new deal. Well, that included mandatory minicamp, which the Steelers can fine Watt for missing. Ben Roethlisberger wonders […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers and T.J. Watt are not on the best of terms right now.
That has been evidenced by the fact that Watt didn't show up for anything in the spring or summer in search of a new deal.
Well, that included mandatory minicamp, which the Steelers can fine Watt for missing.
Ben Roethlisberger wonders if the team will go that far…
Would the Steelers fine T.J. Watt?
“It's interesting because this is now a mandatory minicamp. So he can be fined," Ben said on his podcast. "It'll be interesting to see if the Steelers decide to fine him or not, because they don't have to… Last time this happened was four years ago when T.J. was looking for a new contract. The difference is, he's holding out, which means he is not there. Last time, he held in, which means, 'I'm going to come, I'll be here, but I'm not participating.'”
I'm not going to break down the semantics of a holdout vs. a hold-in, but if you're wondering how much T.J. Watt could be fined, here is a breakdown of the NFL's fine protocol:
According to the latest CBA, players with unexcused absences from mandatory minicamp are subject to fines that cannot be waived by NFL clubs. They'll be fined $17,462 for the first missed day of practice, $34,925 for the second, and $52,381 for the third missed day. That's practically $105K in fines for missing three days of practice.
– Charles Goldman, A to Z Sports
Do I believe the Steelers will fine Watt? No. Even with him being entirely away from the organization, everyone involved wants to get a deal done. This is not a case of Watt wanting a new deal and him saying, 'ok, trade me if you're not willing to make a deal.'
In the end, Watt will be a one-helmet guy who the Steelers pay very handsomely. Does his deal go north of what Myles Garrett received? When does it get done? And how "ugly" does it get before the team and Watt come to terms?
We'll receive our answer(s) soon enough.
