Cardinals Player J.J. Watt Announces Plan To Retire After 2022 Season

WISCONSIN — Arizona Cardinals player and Pewaukee native J.J. Watt on Tuesday announced plans to retire after the 2022 season, according to NFL.com.

"My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude," Watt posted to his Twitter account Tuesday morning. "It's been an absolute honor and a pleasure."

Watt posted photos saying he played in his last ever NFL home game, adding that it was his son Koa's first NFL game. Koa Watt, the first son for 33-year-old J.J. and his wife Kealia, was born in October, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Watt, who played 26 games at the University of Wisconsin-Madison over two seasons, was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2011 until he left the team for the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.

After earning three Defensive Player of the Year awards and making 100 career sacks by 2020, injuries seemed to put a damper on Watt later in his career, NFL.com wrote.