PITTSBURGH — T.J. Watt is always excited when he gets to training camp, and that is especially true this year.

And it’s not just because he signed another whopping contract that even he admits is mind-boggling to comprehend.

“I’m excited about this new team,” Watt said.

And the Steelers are excited to have their franchise sack leader around from the first day of training camp, even though there was never really much doubt a new deal was forthcoming.

The Steelers were not going to move on from their four-time All-Pro, former NFL Defensive Player of the Year and franchise sack leader who will be 31 in October. They weren’t going to entertain a trade proposal like they did with Minkah Fitzpatrick.

But they weren’t sure the deal would come together before the start of training camp, largely because of what Watt was seeking and the team’s concern about the length of the contract and guaranteed money.

It all came together last week, quicker than expected, and Watt couldn’t be more excited to be at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for his ninth training camp.

And it wasn’t just because of his new deal.

Watt signed a four-year, $144 million contract last week that is fully guaranteed for $108 million, which is payable in the first three years of the deal. His average salary of $36.0125 million makes him the second-highest-paid defensive player in the league on an annual basis behind Cleveland’s Myles Garrett.

“I just wanted the deal to get done,” Watt said. “I’m happy it got done before training camp, just to be able to be here, to eliminate any potential distraction, to just worry about football. I’m really excited to be here, excited to show the fans what we have to offer.”

Watt’s deal is just another massive deck chair on the financial Queen Mary for the Steelers, who have five defensive players with a salary cap hit of more than $17.6 million in 2025. No other team has more than three.

“It was always very important for me and for the organization to have T.J. be a one-helmet Hall of Famer,” said general manager Omar Khan. “Hopefully he’s got several years left and we feel really, really good about having him locked up and excited.”

Watt said he is still trying to comprehend the size of his contract

“It’s hard to fathom,” he said. “I’m just being as blunt as I can about it. It truly is. It’s an insane life that I live. I get to do what I love for a living. I’m living the absolute dream. I don’t take that for granted one bit at all. The money side of it is hard to really wrap my head around.”

Watt’s position group received two new players — rookie Jack Sawyer, drafted in the fourth round, and former Ravens inside linebacker Malik Harrison, signed in free agency.

The secondary has undergone the biggest change, bringing in a pair of former Pro Bowl cornerbacks — Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay Jr. — and safety Juan Thornhill.

And the defensive line added No. 1 pick Derrick Harmon and fifth-round choice Yahya Black, a run-stuffing 330-pounder.

“There’s so many new faces, as you guys all know, as the fans know, but the goal always remains the same, and it’s a new year,” Watt said. “Everybody looks good on paper this time of year. But it’s all about what we do over the next couple weeks here in preparation. There’s going to be a lot of people to get to know and talk to.”

And for good reason.

The Steelers moved on from four defensive starters from last season, including All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and used three of their first four draft choices on bigger, more physical defensive players — a response to being pushed around in two late-season games against the Baltimore Ravens.

“Teams need to understand that when they come to Pittsburgh, when they play the Steelers, it’s a certain brand of football, and that’s why drafting a defensive lineman in the first round is kind of setting the tone, to get that message across,” Watt said.

“That’s why we tackle so much in training camp. That’s why we go full pads as much as we do. It’ll be interesting to see some guys that have been in other places that come here for the first time and see how much that we tackle.”

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