T.J. Watt felt he should have won the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers star lost out to Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett. Coming up on their first matchup of the season, Garrett did not like some of Watt’s actions during the week of the NFL Honors.

Watt skipped the entire awards ceremony and posted on X that it was ‘nothing I’m not used to,’ which seemed to irk Garrett. Following the Steelers’ loss, Garrett said he is the top defensive player in football, not Watt.

“I have a lot of respect for him…. but I’m number 1. That’s from Edge 1 to Defensive Player of the Year. I’m the guy. That runs through me,” Garrett said.

While Watt clearly felt slighted by the loss, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe said it was simply a fact of life for all elite NFL players: If you reach a level, you will be robbed of accolades.

“If you play this game long enough T.J., you’re gonna get robbed,” Sharpe said. “Everybody has been robbed. Somebody didn’t get an opportunity to go to the Pro Bowl that feels they should’ve been to the Pro Bowl. Somebody felt they should’ve been an All-Pro, they didn’t get to go. Somebody feels they should’ve won an MVP, an Offensive Player of the Year, a Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, or something. If you play this game long enough, and you’re a good player, [it’s going to happen].”

Sharpe is correct. There is certainly an argument to be made that Garrett deserved the award anyway, which is why he won it in the first place. Yet, Watt has won a Defensive Player of the Year Award and is still writing out a legendary career.