A Week in the Life of a NFL Player
JJ Watt is hanging up his cleats.
The Arizona Cardinals defensive back announced Dec. 27 he is retiring from the NFL after 12 seasons.
He shared the news on Twitter, alongside a photo of his wife, soccer star Kealia Ohai Watt, and their 2-month-old son, Koa James Watt.
“Koa’s first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game,” the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner wrote. “My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.”
Watt has two games remaining this season, both on the road in Atlanta and San Francisco.
Watt’s surprise announcement comes after he suffered a health scare in early October when his heart went into atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular and often very rapid heartbeat, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The 33-year-old tweeted that doctors shocked his heart back into a normal rhythm. And, three days later, on Oct. 2, he took the field for his 138th consecutive NFL game.
“Obviously, it’s been a very emotional week for my family, for my wife, for myself,” he said during the post-game press conference. “So, I’m very happy to get a win today. Obviously, I’ve had a lot of emotions, but I’ve learned to appreciate the little things even more, and so it’s nice to have a win today.”
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Over the course of his 12-year career, Watt has captured hearts on and off the field. In 2017, when Houston was hit with the Category 4 hurricane Harvey, Watt raised more than $37 million to aid the city. And then, in 2020, he and his wife donated $350,000 to the Houston Food Bank to help people in need amid the pandemic.
More recently, Watt came raised funds for a fan who was going to sell a Watt jersey and sneakers to pay for their grandfather’s funeral. “We’ll help,” he tweeted in July. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
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