JJ Watt is open to a return to the NFL and the Texans. But only if the team is in dire straits
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Pro defensive end told reporters in Houston at his charity softball event this weekend that he would unretire to rejoin his old club if head coach DeMeco Ryans “absolutely” needed him.
“I told DeMeco last year, I said, ‘Don’t call unless you absolutely need it, but if you ever do call, I’ll be there.’ And he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it,” Watt said, via SportsRadio610. “This is the last year I’ll tell him that, because I’m not going to keep training the way I’ve been training, but he knows that if he ever truly does need it, I’ll be there for him. I don’t anticipate that happening. They’ve got a very good group.
“I very much don’t want that to ever be the case [that Ryans calls because of injuries]. I hope everybody stays extremely healthy and they dominate and they don’t need any other bodies. And I just get to watch and enjoy from the couch.”
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What Watt is effectively saying is: Don’t count on a pass-rushing trip of Watt, Will Anderson-Jr. and Danielle Hunter in 2024. Watt would only play if those two — and their backups — couldn’t play for some time.
Watt, 35, retired from the NFL after the 2022 season after 12 years in the league — 10 of which were with the Texans. He spent his final two seasons with the Cardinals.
Watt made five Pro Bowls during his career to go along with his DPOY and All-Pro nods. Watt wracked up 114.5 career sacks, 195 tackles for a loss, 317 quarterback hits and 27 forced fumbles in 151 total games.
As Watt alluded to earlier, he contemplated a return to the field this past season — either for the Texans or Steelers, wher his brother, T.J. Watt, plays. Ultimately, though, Watt remained away from the game. He joined CBS Sports as an analyst on “NFL Today” and bought an ownership stake in the English football club, Burnley F.C., with his wife, Kealia Watt.
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Texans general manager Nick Caserio left the door open for Watt to return as well if he wanted. Caserio told The Pat McAfee Show this past week that “[Watt] always has an open door both organizationally and in the city. He’s earned that, and he absolutely deserves it.”
A Watt return to Houston would be epic, but the scenario in which Watt stated it would happen wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing for the Texans and their Super Bowl aspirations.