Cardinals’ J.J. Watt on decision to retire: ‘I hope I made everybody proud’

TEMPE — When you already know, you already know.

Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt and people near him had an thought for weeks — if not months — that his time wrecking opposing offenses was coming to an in depth.

There have been simply two issues left to perform for somebody who has achieved a lot on and off the sphere:

1. Have his son Koa in attendance for a recreation.

2. Keep away from one final leak of data.

So after finishing one in every of his lifelong goals of getting his son and the remainder of his household collectively for a house recreation, Watt made certain to shut the chapter on one other in pure Watt vogue, his personal phrases.

“It’s the precise time. I really feel prefer it’s the precise time,” Watt stated Wednesday. “I put a lot into the sport and the wins and the losses and the psychological stress and fervour that comes with it, it simply weighs on you. It’s heavy, it’s actually heavy. Losses are very robust to take, and you reside with the highs and the lows. I’ve all the time stated, I’d somewhat dwell with the highs and the lows than by no means know the center.

“I received a son now, clearly, I had a coronary heart scare in the course of the 12 months, so there’s actually a few of that that performed into it, however I’m very completely satisfied and I’m very at peace with it.”

Watt calls it quits after an illustrious profession of bodily dominance on the sphere and an timeless want to make use of his platform to provide again to the various communities which have taken him in over time.

There hasn’t been a lot Watt hasn’t achieved over his 12-year profession, whether or not that was being named the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Yr, incomes three Defensive Participant of the Yr honors or creating the J.J. Watt Basis, that has assist so many away from the sport.

The outpouring the lineman has acquired from individuals of all completely different walks of life since his announcement is proof of that.

However whereas a flood of properly needs and congratulations have rightfully taken over Watt’s life in latest days, he hasn’t misplaced sight on how he received right here within the first place.

“The factor that I don’t wish to get misplaced is that I by no means did it alone,” Watt stated. “I’ve had so many unimaginable individuals assist me. My dad and mom additionally informed me … ‘It takes a village to lift a toddler.’ It really has taken many villages to lift me and assist me turn into who I’m and to do the issues that I’ve carried out. I didn’t do something on my own. I didn’t prepare myself, I didn’t feed myself, I didn’t construct my basis on my own, I didn’t construct my profession on my own, I didn’t run that (Hurricane Harvey) fundraiser on my own.

“I had unimaginable individuals each single step of the way in which and I’m unbelievably lucky. … The one factor that I can say on the finish of all of it is that I hope I made all people proud. That’s my final objective. I need all these individuals to know that their efforts weren’t in useless, that I attempted to make every thing I might with it.”

For some, Watt’s resolution might come as a little bit of a shock.

Regardless of lacking a recreation with a calf pressure and coping with his well being scare earlier within the season, amongst different workforce points, Watt has turned his finest season since 2018.

By way of 14 video games, the lineman paces the workforce in sacks with 9.5, QB hits with 21 and tackles for loss with 14 to associate with six passes defensed.

He’s been one of many lone brilliant spots in what has turned out to be a disappointing season for the Cardinals.

And whereas he would clearly love to finish his profession together with his workforce on prime, Watt has no regrets in calling it quits amid a stellar season.

“I undoubtedly knew that I needed to be enjoying good ball,” Watt stated. “I’ve clearly gone by means of some accidents over my profession and that’s extraordinarily irritating, as a result of I do know what I’m able to. I do know who I will be and who I must be as a participant. There’s been years the place I haven’t been in a position to show that and I haven’t been in a position to be that participant and that harm. There’s no query about it.

“With the ability to play good ball, having the ability to go away good recollections, having the ability to have some good movie to indicate my son, that was undoubtedly vital to me. So, I feel that’s additionally a part of the rationale that regardless of enjoying first rate ball proper now, it’s an excellent time to stroll away.”

As for what’s subsequent for the lineman after Arizona wraps up the final two video games on the 2022 docket, Watt isn’t too certain.

However in the event you ask head coach Kliff Kingsbury, there’s extra of an opportunity Watt will get into the film enterprise than takes over a clipboard and a whistle.

“I might say Hollywood earlier than teaching if I needed to guess,” Kingsbury stated with a smile on Wednesday. “Him and The Rock could be an excellent tandem.

“They’d need to pay them some huge cash … each these guys,” the top coach added.

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