ESPN undertook an interesting challenge in naming the best football player in the world at every age from 40 all the way down to 14. This covered the NFL, college football and even high school.
Pittsburgh Steelers edge defender T.J. Watt was the best 29-year-old and the only Steeler to make the list. Here’s what ESPN had to say about Watt:
Why he’s the best at his age: Watt’s 19 sacks last season led the league, and he has 96.5 in his career. That ranks eighth among active players, and he still hasn’t hit age 30.A savvy rusher who uses speed, power and technique to set up offensive tackles, Watt is a natural disruptor. In addition to the forced fumbles, he has batted down 28 passes and grabbed seven interceptions in his career. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year is a game-changer who creates impact plays for the Pittsburgh defense.
Watt is already the franchise sack leader and is tied for the single-season sack record in the NFL. He’s also the only player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks three times, doing it three of the last four.
