J.J. Watt Career Highlights as Arizona Cardinals NFL Star Retires

NFL star J.J. Watt shocked the football world on Tuesday by announcing his retirement on Twitter. The 33-year-old Arizona Cardinals defensive end said that this season will be his last, and with the Cards well out of the playoff picture, that means Watt only has two games to go before the curtain comes down on his career.

He shared a couple pics of his two month-old son, Koa, along with wife Kealia and his parents.

He captioned the pics in the tweet: "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."

How Watt made his name in Houston

One of Watt's most memorable moments was when he hit then-Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in 2013 with such ferocity that he ended up needing six stitches to his nose after he was left with a deep gash.

The photo of his face covered in blood has become one of his most iconic from his time with Houston Texans but his time there was far more than a crushing tackle.

Watt has become one of the best defensive players of his generation since he was a first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft after playing college football with Central Michigan and Wisconsin.

Watt went on to become only the third player, after Aaron Donald and Lawrence Taylor, to be crowned NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times between 2012 and 2015.

It is likely this will pave the way to being a first-ballot Hall of Fame star in 2028.

Watt became the only player to record 20 or more sacks in multiple seasons since they were officially recorded in 1982 and between 2012 and 2015 he accumulated 69 sacks, including 20.5 sacks in 2012 and 2014.

Batting down passes was also one of his trademarks and his 60 since 2011 is the best in the NFL during his career.

Watt's 101 sacks for the Texans are almost double the next closest on the list.

How good was Watt in Arizona?

Watt joined the Cardinals as he saw an opportunity to be a part of a rising team and have a chance of going deep into the playoffs.

He made a huge impact on his teammates during his two seasons with them and became a mentor for the defensive linemen on the roster as he made his professionalism and experience felt in the locker room.

The Cardinals had one of the best offenses in the NFL when he joined and he was hoping to make them a tight defensive unit.

In 2021, they began the season like a train, heading to 7-0 before a shoulder injury halted Watt in his tracks and the team slumped to 4-6 for the remainder of the regular season.

It was enough to get them into the playoffs though, and Watt was back for the wild-card round but the Cardinals lost to eventual Super Bowl champions, Los Angeles Rams.

This season, he leads the league with 28 pressures among players with at least 10 pass breakups and is tied on 9.5 with Washington Commanders' Daron Payne for most sacks.

What has Watt's impact been off the field?

Watt has been the part of many off field stories in which has helped communities close to the teams he has played for.

He set up the Justin J. Watt Foundation while he as at the University of Wisconsin and has gone on to raise more than $5 million to help fund after-school athletic programs and organizations.

However, Watt's biggest achievement has to be the $41 million he raised for those affected by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

He set up a page on YouCaring.com with the view of raising $200,000 to fund aid for those left stricken by the hurricane, starting the fund with $100,000 of his own money.

He hit the target within two hours and it went on to be the largest crowd-sourced fundraiser in history.

Watt ensured the funds went to help rebuild Houston, with the NFL star saying: "The entirety of the funds would be utilized here in Houston and the surrounding areas for those who were affected most by Hurricane Harvey."

What will be Watt's legacy?

Watt has been an All-Pro five times in his career, which is the third-most selections for a defensive end.

A succession of injuries has meant that he hasn't managed to play as much as he would have liked in recent seasons, requiring back surgery during the 2016 season and breaking his leg during week 5 of the following season, which curtailed that year for him.

Since 2018, Watt has only played every game of an NFL season once but has still been devastating with his defensive duties, racking up 16 sacks in 2018 to put him in the mix for another Defensive Player of the Year award.

However, Watt had his heart shocked back into rhythm this year after it went into atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heart rhythm.

Over his career, Watt ranks fourth in the NFL with 111.5 sacks since his debut in 2011, which leaves him 26th in the all-time list.

He is also fifth all-time for sacks per game at .748, among those who have played at least 100 games.

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