J.J. Watt

Labor 2: Join Lawrence Taylor and Aaron Donald as the only NFL players to win three Defensive Player of the Year awards.

With you in the building these past two years JJ, I feel as if the spirit of Pat Tillman is alive and well. You made certain that all of the employees in the building feel respected and honored to be a part of the entire team. For believing in all of us. You reach out to them, most of whom are complete strangers and you offer to lend your personal and financial support. By your own words, you are still bring “THE JUICE.” Or are you still doing what you need to do as a professional and a as a man? “OK now is about a test of —- how you are as a professional —- and how you are as a man. Most veteran NFL players are weakened by “time and fate”, as poet Alfred Lord Tennyson would say. Well, Captain, your off-season dedication is paying off big-time, because you are leaving the game you love at the top of your game. Inside the Cardinals’ facilities you created a second home for yourself. You, as much as any NFL player I have ever rooted for, understands how vital it is to interact and communicate with the fans. He was that example to me and so many others!

After stunning the world Tuesday with his retirement announcement, Cardinals standout defensive lineman J.J. Watt explained his decision on Wednesday.

Watt will walk away from the NFL in a couple of weeks with a career of which he can be plenty proud. I think that's honestly part of the reason that it's time to walk away because I don't want all my energy to go to that anymore. "But the wins and the losses of every single week and the energy and the force that I put into every single week and the preparation has never changed. I may not have a trophy, but I'm doing alright and I'm extremely thankful." That was heavy on me for a very long time, but then I also was given perspective at point to say, look back and think about if you were a child what you accomplished and if you'd be proud of it and if you'd be thankful for it. Watt became a father in October when he and his wife, Kealia Ohai Watt, welcomed their son, Koa, into the world. I have a job that anybody would love. ](https://twitter.com/nflfilms/status/1346506627239845888) What Watt might not have yet realized was that it was all but a waste of one of his final seasons, too. But I literally lived out a dream that millions of people would kill for. It's always been easy to identify what motivates Watt to continue playing, even after suffering a herniated disc, a tibial plateau fracture, a torn pectoral and a number of other fairly serious injuries throughout his career. But I'm very happy and am very at peace with it." I've put so much into the game and the wins and the losses, the mental stress and passion that comes with it, it just weighs on you.

J.J. Watt on Wednesday said he has known that this would be his final NFL season, and that he's "extremely fortunate" to have had this "unbelievable ride."

"He's getting the jersey," Watt said. All I want is a jersey at the end of the season." "I told Colt a long time ago," Watt said. The catch: Watt said McCoy knew for a while and that "Wednesday breakfast" might have happened months ago. "I'm young," Watt said. A number that he didn't recognize attempted to FaceTime him, but Watt ignored it. And I've always said that I would way rather live with the highs and the lows than never know the middle." Watt hasn't gone through all the messages on his phone, but he was sure that a network had reached out to him about being an analyst. "That was heavy on me for a very long time." So I may not have a trophy, but I'm doing all right, and I'm extremely thankful." "The wins, the losses, the mental stress and passion that comes with it. He had been telling people around the Cardinals' building for "a long time" but said he doesn't think many believed him.

Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt and those close to him had an idea for weeks — if not months — that his time wrecking opposing offenses was coming ...

… The only thing that I can say at the end of it all is that I hope I made everybody proud. “Him and The Rock would be a good tandem. So, I think that’s also part of the reason that despite playing decent ball right now, it’s a good time to walk away.” I know who I can be and who I should be as a player. There’s been years where I haven’t been able to display that and I haven’t been able to be that player and that hurt. I want all those people to know that their efforts weren’t in vain, that I tried to make everything I could with it.” “I definitely knew that I wanted to be playing good ball,” Watt said. Watt Foundation, that has help so many away from the game. Losses are very tough to take, and you live with the highs and the lows. “I put so much into the game and the wins and the losses and the mental stress and passion that comes with it, it just weighs on you. I didn’t train myself, I didn’t feed myself, I didn’t build my foundation by myself, I didn’t build my career by myself, I didn’t run that (Hurricane Harvey) fundraiser by myself. I’ve always said, I’d rather live with the highs and the lows than never know the middle.