JJ Watt is hanging up his cleats.
The Arizona Cardinals defensive back announced on December 27 that he would be retiring from the NFL after 12 seasons.
He shared the news on Twitter, along with a photo of his wife, the soccer star Kealia Ohai Wattand their two-month-old son, Koa James Watt.
“Koa’s first NFL game. My last NFL game at home,” said three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner. Written. “My heart holds nothing but love and gratitude. It is an absolute honor and joy.”
Watt has two games left this season, both on the road in Atlanta and San Francisco.
Watt’s surprise announcement comes after he suffered a health scare in early October when his heart developed atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular and often very rapid heartbeat, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The 33 years old tweeted that the doctors shocked his heart back to a normal rhythm. And, three days later, on October 2, he’s off the field in his 138th consecutive NFL game.
