TEMPE, Ariz. While teams continued JJ Watt during his 16-day stint as a free agent, the three-time All-Pro pass rusher said all signs kept pointing him to the Arizona Cardinals, with whom he signed a two-year deal on Tuesday.
He selected the Cardinals Monday from a group of “four or five” finalists after an aggressive recruiting by Arizona. Watt said it was definitely close when he made his final decision, which he described as ‘difficult’.
‘I give them credit; they attacked from all angles, ‘Watt said on Tuesday during the introductory Zoom news conference on recruiting the Cardinals. “There was, I think, [general manager] Steve [Keim] and [owner] Michael [Bidwill] and everyone did their job well, I mean, there were players, there were coaches, there were also non-footballers who came out in my ears and wanted to convince me to come here and tell me all the wonderful things about it , and not only on the field, but also send photos of Paradise Valley and everything off the field.
‘So, their recruiting field was strong and heavy, but at the end of the day, I told my wife, do you know that all signs were carried just after that to Arizona, and in my short time here on the ground, I can see you tells that I am absolutely satisfied and that I could not be happier with my decision. ‘
Watt, who turns 32 on March 22, said that ‘there are a lot of exciting things happening here in Arizona,’ and he specifically mentions the ‘young, extremely talented quarterback of the Cardinals who can do great things’.
Kyler Murray was one of the reasons Watt cited signing for the Cardinals. Watt texted Murray on Monday, “I’m here because I believe in you.”
– Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) March 2, 2021
Murray tweeted a photo of the two’s first meeting in July 2015 during an event where Murray was named the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year.
“It’s pretty wild now to be in the same team,” Watt said. “But yes, I saw his career, of course. He had an incredible career. He’s an amazing athlete and what he could achieve, he was a winner at every stage of his life, and that’s not coincidental.
‘You’re a winner because of the way you work and because of the aura you give off and because of the talent you have, and I think he has all those things and he’s going to keep winning and keep having success. ‘
Watt also said the reunion with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, his teammate with the Houston Texans, from the time Hopkins was drafted in 2013 until he was traded to the 2019 season, played a role in the Cardinals winning the Watt draw. won it. Just like Vance Joseph, the Cardinals defense coordinator, who was the Texans’ defensive coach during Watt’s first three years in the NFL.
Watt said Joseph has a defense plan similar to the one in which Watt played under Wade Phillips in Houston – “a plan I’m very familiar with and very comfortable with and excited to play in.”
The cardinals announced Tuesday that Watt will wear number 99, the same number he had with the Texans. The number was retired in honor of Marshall Goldberg, who played for the Chicago Cardinals from 1939 to 1943 and again from 1946 to 1948 after his career during World War II was interrupted by a period in the Navy, but Goldberg’s daughter, Ellen Goldberg Tullos. , Watt gave permission on Tuesday to carry the number.
Watt did not know that the number had retired when he selected the Cardinals and saw that no one had issued it during a quick review of the list. One of his high school friends introduced the news to him and told him about Goldberg’s history, which led Watt to start looking at other numbers. But when Watt woke up on Tuesday morning, he was reading a report from TMZ, who spoke to Tullos. Watt later called Tullos to hear for himself that he could carry her father’s number.
Watt hoped a product of Goldberg’s number would make his name, story and legacy better known. Watt also offered to donate to the Marshall Goldberg Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.
Watt thanks the Goldberg family via Twitter and also talks about what the family’s blessing means in his news conference.
I want to thank the Goldberg family for their kindness in giving me the opportunity to wear # 99 in Arizona, which was previously retired in honor of Marshall Goldberg.
I am humbled and honored to wear them and will do my best to make them proud and honor Marshall properly.#Rooi See pic.twitter.com/zoXCHZfTP4
– JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 2, 2021
“We had a wonderful conversation,” Watt said. “She was very lovely. Said she believed her father would be honored and that she believed her father was all about the players, which is why she said she thought he wanted me to wear it.
‘I’m so honored and touched that they thought of me that way and that I can do it. Therefore, I told her that I would do everything in my power to honor him and make him proud and make his legacy proud. . “