J.J. Watt Jokes He 'Was Unaware' NFL Had Retirement Paperwork After Tom Brady's Official Exit

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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Sports Person of the Year, J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans attends 2017 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Awards at Barclays Center on December 5, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/WireImage); LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Tom Brady attends Los Angeles Premiere Screening Of Paramount Pictures' "80 For Brady" at Regency Village Theatre on January 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

John Lamparski/WireImage; Jon Kopaloff/Getty

J.J. Watt is having some fun with the news of Tom Brady officially retiring from the NFL.

After ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Brady, 45, "officially filed a letter" of retirement with the NFL and NFL Players Association, Watt, 33, joked that he "was unaware" of such a formality when he announced his own retirement in December.

"I was unaware there was paperwork… Definitely not gonna fill that out, but definitely retired," wrote Watt in a quote tweet on Friday.

RELATED: T.J. Watt Wants to See Tom Brady and Brother J.J. Get Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame Together

According to Schefter, "This letter silences any questions about whether Brady might return and now makes him eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2028."

The NFL no longer requires "retirement papers," which are not irrevocable, NBC Sports reported in 2019. However, a player can file their papers to immediately initiate their pension, which is automatically activated after one year of retirement.

J.J.'s brother T.J. Watt, who plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, previously told PEOPLE he hopes to see his brother and the seven-time Super Bowl champion inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, now that they're both retired.

RELATED: Tom Brady Waiting Until 2024 to Start Fox Sports Broadcasting Gig — but Emphasizes He's Done Playing

"He's the greatest of all time," said T.J., 28. "I'm excited to hopefully be at the Hall of Fame ceremony with him and my brother. I'm sure it'd be a good time."

J.J. previously announced that he was retiring after his last game of the season with the Arizona Cardinals, which was his 12th season with the NFL.

T.J. Watt Says Brother J.J. 'Knew It was Time' to Retire
T.J. Watt Says Brother J.J. 'Knew It was Time' to Retire

Cooper Neill/Getty

He shared the news with photos of himself and his family on the field post-game, including wife Kealia Watt and then 2-month-old daughter Koa James. "Koa's first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game," he wrote at the time.

"My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It's been an absolute honor and a pleasure," added Watt.

RELATED VIDEO: Tom Brady Says He's Retiring 'for Good' After 23 Seasons in the NFL in Emotional Video

Brady announced his second retirement on Feb. 1, sharing a brief video reflecting on his 23 seasons with the league, exactly one year after announcing his short-lived first retirement.

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"I'm retiring. For good," he said in the clip. "I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning I figured I'd just press record, and let you guys know first."