JJ Watt Announces Retirement After 12 Seasons

The Cardinals defensive end announced these last two games of the season will be his last.

One of the most dominating, decorated and legendary NFL players of all-time, JJ Watt, announced Tuesday that this will be his last NFL season. 

The Cardinals defensive end slipped the apparent retirement announcement into a Twitter post about his newborn son. The post features pictures of Watt with his son Koa and his wife Kealia at Arizona’s last home game of the season, which was on Christmas Day this past weekend.

“Koa’s first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game,” Watt said on Twitter. “My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.”

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.

🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/wXbDUcHM8B

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 27, 2022

Watt walks away from football as a clear cut first-ballot Hall of Famer after a 12-year career that includes three defensive player of the year awards, seven All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl selections. He led the NFL in sacks in both 2012 and 2015. 

He racked up 20.5 sacks in both 2012 and ’14, making him the the only player in NFL history to have multiple 20-sack seasons. The 33-year-old was drafted with the No. 11 pick in the 2011 draft by the Texans, with whom he spent the first 10 seasons of his career. He holds franchise records in sacks (101), forced fumbles (22), tackles for loss (172) and quarterback hits (282). 

Watt will play his final two games in the NFL on the road starting with the Falcons on Sunday and then the 49ers in Week 18.