The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most prominent defensive ends of the league, J.J. Watt, announced his retirement in 2022 and recently shared his plans for a comeback under certain conditions.
BREAKING: #NFL legend JJ Watt will UNRETIRE if #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans "absolutely needs him," he said yesterday.
Watt has been training and staying in football shape. pic.twitter.com/gZB91ihQje
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 5, 2024
According to ESPN, five-time Pro Bowl and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, 2017 mentioned, "I"m a very fortunate, lucky man, I have a beautiful wife, I have a beautiful son. I"ve had 12 great years in this league and I"m very thankful to have walked away healthy and playing great. I told DeMeco [Ryans] last year: ‘Don"t call unless you absolutely need it, but, if you ever do call, I"ll be there." And he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it. This is the last year I"ll tell him that, because I"m not going to keep training [the way] I"ve been training."
I asked J.J. Watt how he resists the temptation to return to football, especially given the Texans’ rise. His answer was interesting.
Watt told DeMeco Ryans he’s still training and is ready if he absolutely needs it. pic.twitter.com/Z3gbfqjOA1
— B.Scott from Hiram Clarke (@brandonkscott) May 4, 2024
Watt was picked up in the 2011 NFL Draft in the first round as the 11th pick by the Houston Texans. With them, he played from 2011 to 2020 and then joined the Arizona Cardinals, where he played from 2021 to 2022. He ended his career with the Cardinals posting 12.5 sacks in his last campaign.
The former decorated icon of the league who played with DeMeco Ryans during his first season with the Texans further stated, "He knows he ever truly does need it, I"ll be there for him. But I don"t anticipate that happening, because they have a very good crew. I hope that everybody stays extremely healthy and they dominate and they don"t need any bodies, and I just get to watch and enjoy it from the couch."
The Texans hired Ryans as their new head coach last year and the season the Texans had was nothing short of impressive. The squad led by sensational quarterback C.J. Stroud ended the regular season with a 10-7 and the first spot in the AFC South Division title and also defeated the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round. However, the squad lost the divisional playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens.
Watt, among other accolades, won Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times and was also Pro Football Writers Association NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times when he was playing with the Texans. He finished his incredible career with 586 total tackles, 114.5 sacks, 70 pass deflections, 27 forced fumbles, and 17 fumble recoveries.
