Iconic NFL defensive linesman J.J. Watt has – rather surprisingly – announced his decision to retire at the end of the season.
The news comes just weeks after he and his wife, Kealia Watt, welcomed their first child together, a son named Koa James.
“Koa’s first ever NFL game,” the 33-year-old wrote in a tweet, which included two pictures with his family at State Farm Stadium. “My last ever NFL home game.”
He added: “My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.”
Watt, 33, was among the premier defensive players in the NFL during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans.
The former Wisconsin standout was a first-round pick in 2011 and was dominant from 2012 to 2015, finishing that four-year stretch with 69 sacks, to earn all three of his AP Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Watt set Texans franchise records in sacks (101), tackles for loss (172), quarterback hits (281) and forced fumbles (25).
The Cardinals are out of playoff contention and have two games left this season: a matchup against the Falcons on Jan. 1, and a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area to face the 49ers on Jan. 8.
