JJ Watt: Not-so cryptic tweet signals retirement for future HOFer

JJ Watt could be playing his final two games in the NFL and then take the five-year wait for his name to be called for the Hall of Fame. A tweet on Sunday just about confirms it.

As Watt walked off the field on Sunday, his final home game with the Arizona Cardinals, he turned and looked around the stadium as if to give it a final glance. The impending free agent, it was assumed, would likely play somewhere else next year.

Now, it appears that Watt isn’t just walking away from the Cardinals at season’s end, but the NFL entirely.

It doesn’t get much more concrete without standing at a podium and making an official announcement that a player is hanging it up. He could have said, “Last home game in Arizona” but he chose his words differently.

The picture of JJ Watt and his family is perfect and the caption puts aside doubt of what his intentions for next season are.

While there are two games left for Watt and the Cardinals, should he retire, he would end his career with five first-team All-Pros and five Pro Bowl selections over his 12-year career. Watt has played 10 seasons with the Texans and the last two with the Cardinals.

Without adding in his stats from the final two games, Watt currently has two interceptions, 580 tackles, and 111.5 sacks which by itself insured a place in the Hall of Fame.

In what looks to now be Watt’s final two games, Watt will travel to Atlanta this week and then wrap his season and career against the 49ers in San Francisco. The Cardinals will not get into the post-season.

In his career, JJ Watt went to the playoffs six times with the Texans but never got past the divisional round, the Cardinals made the playoffs in 2021 but lost in the Wild Card round.