After an illustrious 12-year NFL career, legendary defensive end JJ Watt is hanging up his cleats. Watt, who spent 10 years with the Houston Texans and the last two with the Arizona Cardinals, appeared to announce that he will retire in a tweet on Tuesday morning.
Koa’s first ever NFL game.
My last ever NFL home game.My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 27, 2022
Throughout his career, Watt has established himself as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history. He has well over 100 sacks in his career and is one of only three players to win three Defensive Player of the Year Awards. He is also one of the best role models in the game, and he has a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award to prove it.
To celebrate Watt's retirement, here are the three most iconic moments from his illustrious career.
3. Helping those in need
Many players NFL players have become legends on the field, but fewer have become legends off of it. Thanks to his humanitarian efforts, JJ Watt is one of the few to have become both.
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic damage to the Houston area. Over 100 people lost their lives, and the storm caused $125 billion in total damage. For Houston and other affected areas, this was their darkest hour.
Seeing the devastation the storm inflicted on his city, Watt stepped up in a huge way. The then-Texans star donated $100,000 of his own money to relief efforts and eventually raised over $40 million through crowdsourcing. He also partnered with humanitarian organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild homes, provide food, and more.
Watt received plenty of recognition for his efforts. He won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, and Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the year award, alongside Houston Astros star José Altuve.
Watt's humanitarian efforts prove he isn't just a football star, but a great person as well.
2. Overcoming injuries
For a while, Watt's career looked like it could be in jeopardy. He played just three games in 2016 and underwent multiple back surgeries, then suffered a season-ending leg injury after just five games in 2017. Coming off of two injury-shortened seasons, questions lingered about his future in the league.
Then in 2018, Watt rebounded in incredible fashion. He finished with 16 sacks, second only to Aaron Donald, and forced a league-leading seven fumbles that season. Watt earned his fifth Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections, but also finished second in Comeback Player of the Year voting behind Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.
Despite all the injuries, Watt has never let them keep him down. His perseverance is truly inspiring to everyone.
1. Winning three DPotY Awards
Watt's four year-stretch from 2012-2015 is possibly the most dominant by a defensive player in NFL history. In this time, Watt tallied 119 tackles for loss, 69 sacks, and 15 forced fumbles. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections in each of the four seasons.
It was also in this time when JJ Watt won all three of his Defensive Player of the Year Awards. He won the award handily in 2012 and 2015 and became the first and only player to win it unanimously in 2014. That same year, he also finished second in MVP voting behind Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Watt could have retired immediately after the 2015 season and still made the Hall of Fame. Now that he has announced his retirement, it's only a matter of time before he ends up in Canton. He should be a lock to be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer when he becomes eligible in 2027.
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