J.J. Watt To Retire After 12 NFL Seasons; 3-Time Defensive Player Of Year Made All-Decade Team

J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and likely first-ballot Hall of Famer, said today that he will retire after the 2022 season. The defensive end made the announcement in a tweet, saying, “My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.” See the post below.

His Arizona Cardinals will finish the year with a pair of road games at Atlanta and San Francisco.

More from Deadline

• Franco Harris Dies: Hall Of Famer Who Caught "The Immaculate Reception" & Won 4 Super Bowls Was 72

• 'Sunday Night Football' Sacks Scheduled L.A. Rams-L.A. Chargers Game On January 1 In Favor Of Steelers-Ravens

• Franco Harris Tribute Fumble: NFL Network Cuts To Commercial During Ceremony For "Immaculate Reception" Legend

Related Story

Franco Harris Dies: Hall Of Famer Who Caught "The Immaculate Reception" & Won 4 Super Bowls Was 72

Related Story

'Sunday Night Football' Sacks Scheduled L.A. Rams-L.A. Chargers Game On January 1 In Favor Of Steelers-Ravens

Related Story

Franco Harris Tribute Fumble: NFL Network Cuts To Commercial During Ceremony For "Immaculate Reception" Legend

Watt was a first-team All American at Wisconsin before being drafted No. 11 overall by the Houston Texans in 2011. He spent his first 10 seasons with the club, helping lead them to six AFC South titles. He was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and was first-team All Pro five times.

He is the only NFL player to post two seasons with 20 or more sacks.

Watt long has been a popular player with fans, teammates and the media. Aside from his on-field prowess, he is known for helping to raise some $40 million for relief efforts after Hurricane Harvey pummeled Houston in 2017. His online fund-raising drive began with $100,000 of his own money and later was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year by the NFL and shared Sports Illustrated‘s Sportsperson of the Year Award with Jose Altuve of MLB’s Houston Astros.

RELATED: Franco Harris Tribute Fumble: NFL Network Cuts To Commercial During Ceremony For “Immaculate Reception” Legend

Best of Deadline

• 2023 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

• TV Series That Ended In 2022: ‘This Is Us’, ‘Black-ish’, ‘Ellen', ‘Atlanta’, ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘Peaky Blinders’ & More

• 2022-23 Awards Season Calendar - Dates For The Oscars, Golden Globes, Guilds & More

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.