Three-time defensive player of the year JJ Watt has announced he will join the Arizona Cardinals after leaving the Houston Texans.
Watt shared a photo of him on Twitter that worked out in a Cardinals shirt with the caption “Source: I”. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Watt’s deal is for two years, with $ 23 million guaranteed.
The 31-year-old was released last month at his own request by the Texans, for whom he has played his entire 10-year NFL career. His departure is seen as another sign of dysfunction of a franchise that has alienated or traded its best players. The Texans’ best player, fullback Deshaun Watson, is trading and has indicated that he is prepared to postpone the 2021 season rather than continue with the team.
In his best days, Watt was the most disruptive defender in the NFL, but injuries and age slowed him down and last season was only the second since 2015 in which he played all 16 games. However, he is still an effective player when he is fit, and in 2020 scored five bags and an interception.
Watt was a hugely popular figure in Houston and raised more than $ 35 million to help the city recover from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.