NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Does T.J. Watt Have it Locked Up?

NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Does T.J. Watt Have it Locked Up?

As they often say, sports records are indeed meant to be broken. However, it is often easy to tell when a record is set to stand for a long while before anyone is able to overtake it. That sentiment has certainly been the case when it comes to the single-season NFL sack record. Multiple players had previously come close to Hall of Famer Michael Strahan's mark of 22.5 sacks that he recorded in the 2001 season. However, each of those challengers ultimately fell short.

Considering that Strahan's record stood for two decades, it was largely a foregone conclusion that any player to match it would be a favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. After 20 years of standing alone on top, Strahan now has company in the form of T.J. Watt.

T.J. Watt Ties NFL Single-Season Sacks Record

Two weeks ago, most NFL betting oddsmakers would have probably offered up long odds on T.J. Watt to break the single-season sacks record, let alone match it. Through 16 weeks of play, Watt had totaled 17.5 sacks. He was held without one in a blowout loss for him and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16 at Kansas City. Reaching the record seemed damn near impossible at that point.

Watt turned that narrative around in a big way last week. In what was likely the final home game for longtime Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, Watt also garnered some headlines last Monday night. He harassed Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield all night long. When it was all said and done, his four sacks in the game suddenly sent him into Week 18 needing just one to match Michael Strahan's single-season record.

In a matchup against another one of Pittsburgh's biggest rivals, Watt got the job done. His solo sack of Baltimore Ravens QB Tyler Huntley late in the second quarter gave him 22.5 on the season, tying the mark set 20 years ago by Strahan.

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Although Watt was unable to add even an additional half-sack to break the record outright, the fact that he was able to tie it made for quite the accomplishment. It is even more astounding when you consider that he had to make up a five-sack difference in the final two games of the season.

The table below lists out the best single-season sack totals in NFL history with Watt now sitting as a co-record holder at the top.

T.J. Watt Set to Earn DPOY Honors

Considering that he just tied a long-standing record, it would be a seismic upset if T.J. Watt was not voted as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season. In fact, there might actually be a real earthquake if another player were to take home the award.

By no means is that comment a slight to other contenders in the NFL DPOY odds. While several players had strong seasons, none closed with a flourish anything close to Watt's. Heck, the 27-year-old even had to miss a game due to an injury. Thus, no one can say that he only tied Strahan's record because the NFL added an extra game to the regular-season schedule!

The table below displays the NFL DPOY odds prior to Week 18 action.

Those odds serve as a clear indication that Watt has the Defensive Player of the Year Award on lock. After tying the single-season sacks record in Week 18, handing out the hardware at the NFL Awards Ceremony is simply a formality.