J.J. Watt defends Heyward after All-Decade snub

Apr 10, 2020 • 10:48 am

38.2K

Cam Heyward doesn't like getting snubbed. And he fully believes voters overlooked him when making their selections for the 2010s NFL All-Decade team:

All Decade.... my a**
— Cam Heyward (@CamHeyward) April 10, 2020

Pretty straightforward, eh?

For the record, here are the defensive linemen who made the team:

Calais Campbell

Cameron Jordan

Julius Peppers

J.J. Watt

Geno Atkins

Fletcher Cox

Aaron Donald

Ndamukong Suh

While most of those picks are indisputable, most of the blowback's come from Jordan and Cox making the cut over Heyward. So let's crunch some stats:

Player 1: 143 games started, two interceptions (one for a touchdown), 47 passes defended, 10 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries, 87 sacks, 463 tackles (312 solo), 113 tackles for a loss, 168 quarterback hits, five-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro, two-time second-team All-Pro

Player 2: 119 games started, zero interceptions, 13 passes defended, 11 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries (two for a touchdown), 48 sacks, 367 tackles (260 solo), 62 tackles for a loss, 121 quarterback hits, Super Bowl champion, five-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro, three-time second-team All-Pro

Player 3: 99 games started, zero interceptions, 30 passes defended, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 54 sacks, 397 tackles (257 solo), 79 tackles for a loss, 117 quarterback hits, three-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro

The point here is: All three players are legit. You can slice and dice and nitpick. Heyward is actually player three here, and he unfortunately suffers from a lack of playing time throughout his first two seasons plus an injury-shortened 2016 season. Compare that to Jordan (player one) and Cox (player two), who contributed immediately upon entering the league and thus have more volume stats to show for it.

Plus, nobody can really agree whether Heyward's an end or a tackle, although our Dale Lolley had him as a tackle, just missing the cut, with Gerald McCoy leaping him.

But guess what? No ... guess Watt?

Those who know, know.
Keep killing it Cam. https://t.co/uEGqjjYlpZ
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) April 10, 2020

Yeah, that's not a bad endorsement. Arguably the best defensive player of the decade, Mr. Watt here, decided to chime in, endorsing Heyward and letting him know he shouldn't take the voting too seriously.

And, I mean, did Steeler Nation really need any more reason to think Watt wants to come join his brothers — T.J. Watt and Derek Watt — in the Steel City?

"J.J., you know, he’s very happy for us because we get this opportunity, and he’s always kind of said he’s envious that T.J. and I, we’ve had the chance to play together in high school, college and now the NFL,” Derek was saying during a conference call on March 27 after signing with the Steelers. “He knows how special that really is. He never had that opportunity. I kept missing him by a year, and obviously now we’re not on the same team.”

T.J. doubled down on that sentiment with Steelers.com.

"I looked at J.J. and said it sucks to be you right now because we are playing together again," Watt said. "He is jealous. Very jealous. I caught him wearing a Steelers hat around the house. I have a screen shot of it on my phone but I won't leak it to the media, I promised J.J."

Now this with Heyward, plus Texans GM Bill O'Brien's questionable decision-making? Let the speculation begin.

Oh, and just in case you were worried Heyward would be sad or "in his feels" about the snub ... I think he'll be OK: