Cardinals’ J.J. Watt appears to announce retirement: ‘My last ever NFL home game’

J.J. Watt could be a terrifying presence on a football field, hunting opposing quarterbacks with unparalleled ferocity, particularly during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans.

The 6-foot-5, 288-pounder also could be a joyful fan favorite, playing catch on the sideline with young fans in the stands before games.

Now one of the best defensive players in NFL history looks like he’s ready to call it a career.

Watt — a three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year — indicated Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season. He posted pictures of his wife and baby on social media and wrote: “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.”

The Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman and his wife, Kealia, became parents to their son, Koa, in October.

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Watt, 33, was a standout at Wisconsin and was a first-round pick in 2011. He was dominant from 2012 to 2015, finishing that four-year stretch with 69 sacks.

His production dipped during the later half of his career, largely due to injuries. He missed big chunks of time in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021 but has had a bit of a late-career revival with the Cardinals — his 9½ sacks this season are his most since 2018.

He also was active with off-the-field endeavors, helping to raise millions of dollars for those affected by Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area in 2017.

Watt spent his first 10 seasons with the Texans and the past two with the Cardinals. He has played some of his best football with the Cardinals over the past few weeks, with three sacks against the Broncos and two tackles for a loss on Christmas against the Buccaneers.