J.J. Watt unsure how long he'll play, doesn't rule out 2-4 more years
Even one of the league's best conditioned players is susceptible to the brutal nature of the game.
By
Ryan Wilson
•
3 min read
Two weeks ago, J.J. Watt told 610 Sports Radio in Houston that he wouldn't be one of those players who dragged out his career, and he'd only continue as long as he remained one of the NFL's best.
Last season, Watt battled through a groin injury, a broken hand and a sports hernia injury, and underwent groin surgery in February. Just 27, the Texans' defensive end is entering his NFL prime, but even one of the league's best conditioned players is susceptible to the brutal nature of the game. And in a recent conversation with TheMMQB.com's Peter King, Watt spoke in detail about when he might walk away from the game.
“I have no idea when it’s going to be, when I’ll retire,” Watt said. “I’m not saying it’s not going to be two, three, four years. But I’m also not saying it’s going to be nine, 10, 11 years. I literally do not know the answer. What I do know is I’m going to continue to train my ass off. I’m going to continue to work to be the best player in the world, and whenever that doesn’t sound fun to me anymore, that’s when it’s over.”
Watt has reduced his offseason workouts from 10 a week to ... nine, though he continues to recover from groin surgery (he says he's close to 100 percent).
One thing that's not factoring into Watt's immediate decision: other young players who have retired early from the game because of repeated concussions, and the fear of developing CTE.
“I respect every guy that has walked away," he told King. "I think every single guy in this league makes his own decision, and that’s perfectly fine. The reason I respect that and the reason I think every guy has his own way of dealing with things, is because in my personal opinion I know what I’m getting into. I know that I’m going out there and I know that I am going to get hit in the head, I know that’s part of football. That’s like a firefighter knowing he is going to go into a fire at some point. You know you are going to be put in danger’s way, and you accept that risk and you do it.
“I choose to continue doing it. That’s my choice. If I wanted to walk away, I could."
Meanwhile, ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio wonders if Watt is bucking for a promotion, even though he signed an eight-year, $108.8 million deal in September 2014 that will pay him $10.5 million over the next two seasons and includes $51.8 million in guaranteed money.
But Watt, who is obviously very competitive, also isn't the NFL's highest paid defensive end. In terms of average annual salary, both Malik Jackson (Jacksonville, $17.1 million) and Olivier Vernon (Giants, $17.0 million) are ahead of Watt ($16.7 million), according to Spotrac.com.
For what it's worth, Watt seems unconcerned with anything that doesn't directly help him or the Texans back to the playoffs.
"I love the competition," he said. "I love everything that comes along with competing on a day-to-day basis. I love my team. And I love what the game does for not only myself, but helping to inspire millions of people. I’m not at that point [of leaving the game]. I can’t say that I will never get to that point, but I know the risk going into it and I’m a grown man and I can make my own decisions. So I’m going to continue to play until I feel like that risk is too great."
