CNN —
JJ Watt struggled to clasp backmost his tears arsenic helium received a lasting ovation portion helium near the NFL tract for the last clip aft his apt Hall of Fame career came to an extremity connected Sunday.
The 33-year-old – 1 of the champion antiaircraft players of each clip – announced successful December past twelvemonth that helium would discontinue astatine the extremity of the 2022 season.
And Watt capped disconnected his stellar vocation successful cleanable fashion, signaling 2 sacks and 1 walk defended successful the Arizona Cardinals’ season-ending 38-13 nonaccomplishment to the San Francisco 49ers astatine Levi’s Stadium.
In the last fewer minutes, Watt was taken retired of the crippled truthful the fans wrong the stadium, his teammates and his household successful attendance could amusement their appreciation for each that helium has achieved, connected and disconnected the field.
As galore successful the stadium roseate to their feet to applaud him disconnected the field, Watt looked connected the verge of tears, portion his wife, Kealia, watched connected from the stands.
The time earlier the crippled against the 49ers, Watt was shown a astonishment video, compiled of well-wishes from household members, teammates and legendary NFL opponents, each congratulating him connected a palmy vocation and wishing him luck for what is to come.
Watt described however the video – which helium called “one of the top gifts I’ve ever received” – yet breached his affectional dam.
“I person not been affectional done the full process,” Watt told reporters aft Sunday’s game, per the Arizona Cardinals. “I had not been affectional backmost erstwhile I made my decision, I wasn’t affectional past week really, I wasn’t affectional astatine the past practice, I wasn’t truly affectional astatine the meetings (Saturday) night. I was conscionable acceptable to spell to bed.
“Then (Cardinals antiaircraft enactment manager Matt) Burke got up and explained putting unneurotic the video. The 2nd that video turned on, I mislaid it. I perfectly mislaid it. I was bawling similar a baby, and I didn’t halt until good into the night.”
Despite a disappointing play successful wide for the Cardinals – they finished with a grounds of 4-13 – Watt has continued to impress.
His 2 sacks connected Sunday means helium finishes the play with 12.5 sacks, taking his vocation full to 114.5 sacks.
When asked if helium could proceed to play astatine the highest level, Watt’s reply was emphatic.
“I cognize I inactive can,” Watt said. “I’m conscionable choosing not to.”
It is the extremity to Watt’s ascendant career, for which he’ll astir apt beryllium voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for which helium volition beryllium eligible successful 2028.
Watt was named Defensive Player of the Year 3 times, tied for astir successful league past with Los Angeles Rams antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald and New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
The seven-time All Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, according to the NFL, was selected with the 11th wide prime successful the 2011 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, wherever helium played his archetypal 10 seasons. He owns the Texans franchise grounds for the astir vocation sacks with 101.
Watt is well-known for his enactment disconnected the field.
After Hurricane Harvey devastated areas astir Houston and the remainder of the Gulf Coast successful August 2017, Watt embarked connected a career-defining charitable effort.
Through a YouCaring campaign, and plentifulness of societal media attraction and assistance from immoderate celebrated friends, Watt raised much than $37 cardinal for victims of the hurricane. Because of his fundraising, helium was awarded the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which is fixed to grant the foundation and unpaid efforts of NFL players.
Watt revealed successful a societal media station earlier this play that helium underwent attraction for atrial fibrillation – an irregular heartbeat described by galore sufferers arsenic a “quiver,” “flutter,” oregon “flip-flop” of the heart.
Watt wrote a farewell connection connected Twitter soon aft the decision to the 49ers.
“Sometime successful the coming days I’ll find the close words. But for close now, each I tin accidental is convey you,” helium wrote.
“You’ve changed my beingness everlastingly and I americium perpetually grateful.”
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