J.J. Watt

With Wisconsin native J.J. Watt playing his final game of his illustrious career Sunday, younger brothers Derek and T.J. did their part to honor big ...

In fact, he reached 75 sacks faster than anyone in NFL history outside of the late Reggie White. He also has an image of his grandma, his dogs, Tex and Finley, and of the NFL Defensive Player of the Year trophy (it's an award he won a record-tying three times). He was a first round draft pick by the Texans in 2011 after an All-American junior season at Wisconsin. 27 to highlight in his retirement announcement a couple weeks ago](https://twitter.com/JJWatt/status/1607765508476252160?s=20&t=MAdhF2mE0PySFygBRfOOFw). His No. posted a tweet that included several photos of cleats that had images and sayings representing milestones in his football career and showcased people who have been instrumental in his life. He wrote "Journey of a thousand stories." It was Koa's first NFL game and 10 and No. then went out and had a vintage J.J. He recorded two sacks, four tackles, including three that went for a loss, and a pass deflection in the Cardinals' game Sunday afternoon against the San Francisco 49ers. "Man oh man, I wasn't ready for this this morning," J.J.

Watt's brothers repped the three-time Defensive Player of the Year's jersey ahead of their Week 18 game.

Watt and Derek Watt, who both play for the [Steelers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/PIT/pittsburgh-steelers/), repped their big brother's [Cardinals](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/ARI/arizona-cardinals/) jersey ahead of their game against the [Browns](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/CLE/cleveland-browns/). I think I'm too early in my career to compare myself to him at the moment, honestly." He enters Sunday's game against the [49ers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/SF/san-francisco-49ers/) with 112.5 career sacks, 27 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries and 192 tackles for loss. You go back, and you look, you watch the film, the guy was freaking unstoppable. Watt](/nfl/players/2071793/t-j-watt/), who is also putting together a career that may one day be immortalized in Canton, Ohio, spoke at length about his respect for J.J. A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Watt was an All-Pro each season from 2012-15 as a member of the

Arizona Cardinals star J.J. Watt reacted to his brothers paying tribute to him ahead of his last game in the NFL on Sunday. Arizona plays the San Francisco ...

[CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM](https://www.foxnews.com/sports) He looked more like himself in 2022 as he played in 15 games and recorded double-digit sack totals (10.5) for the first time since 2018. Watt](https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/tj-watt) and Derek Watt honored their brother J.J. "Koa’s first ever NFL game," Watt said of his 2-month-old son, Koa James Watt. He played in seven games in 2021 and recorded one sack and 16 tackles. "Genuinely could not ask for two better brothers.

The Arizona defensive star received a touching honor from his two brothers ahead of his final NFL game.

The shoes include jersey numbers from his high school and college career in Wisconsin, in addition to memories from his time with the Texans and Cardinals. [wrote in response to his brothers’ tribute](https://twitter.com/JJWatt/status/1612113609299202050). He’s led the league in sacks twice, made five All-Pro first-teams and is surely bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday. But before the three-time Defensive Player of the Year hangs up his jersey and cleats for good, the football world plans to honor him, starting with his two brothers. Watt and fullback Derek Watt opted to swap out their usual black and yellow threads to honor their older brother ahead of Sunday’s games. 99 Cardinals jersey prior to their own game against the Browns.

It's an emotional ride for Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt, who is set to play in his final NFL game today. Brothers T.J. and Derek Watt donned ...

It’s such a special thing to have a family member playing in the NFL so I can’t wait to watch them play and just be proud of them. I’ll be the first one to hug him when he does.” I’m going to be calling them in the offseason. I’m going to be telling him, ‘Hey, you should do this, you should do that.’ He’ll get sick of me. It’s going to be great. “They’re going to get so sick of me because I’m going to be texting every single play of the game," said Watt. It’s messed up, but no it absolutely does," said Watt when asked if it means something to have more sacks than his brother on the Steelers. "I’m going to be giving my thoughts and reports. I’m so proud of them, who they are and what they’re doing and I love watching it, so it’ll be nice not to have any more conflicts.” I’m going to be training (LB) T.J. Watt into the sunset after an illustrious career that will be stamped with him giving a speech in Canton, OH in just five years down the road. Win or lose, today will be a special day for him.

Legendary star pass rusher J.J. Watt played his final NFL game Sunday, and 49ers Faithful saluted him in style after his last snap.

Playing host to Watt's emotional finale, 49ers fans at Levi's Stadium gave the five-time All-Pro a rousing ovation after he played his final snap. [Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast](https://art19.com/shows/49ers-talk) [49ers' 38-17 win over the Cardinals](https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/nfl-playoffs-49ers-grab-nfc-no-2-seed-will-host-seahawks-or-packers).

49ers fans gave J.J. Watt a standing ovation as he walked off the field for the final time on Sunday afternoon.

J.J. Watt played his final career game on Sunday, getting two sacks, five tackles -- three for a loss -- and a pass deflected in a loss to the 49ers.

"You don't want to come out of the game, but they've got backups in and you don't want something bad to happen, but, I mean, what was I saving it for?" It was the first-timer," Watt said. "It was the first-timer. He could've come back and continued to play at a high level but knew it was time to leave. "There's no way to explain what it feels like to anybody because the love that I have for them, the pride that I have for them, how much fun I have watching them, and then they walk in wearing my jerseys and T.J. "He was a problem throughout the game for us in the run game and the pass game. But for it to slow down there at the end and for him to have his moment where he could walk off, I think everyone in this country respects the hell out of him for what he's done on and off the field," Shanahan said. In a first for Watt, he was giving Koa a bottle four hours before kickoff. "I absolutely lost it," Watt said. 27 his intention to retire, Burke and a team from the Cardinals' video and social media departments worked to gather videos from friends, family and people around the league. Watt had been telling his defensive line coach, Matt Burke, throughout the week that he was trying to get emotional about retiring, but it just wasn't happening. The big screen at the top of the stadium congratulated Watt, and the remaining fans broke out in a standing ovation.

Yet it was a special scene for Watt (despite Arizona's 38-13 blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers) who was given a standing ovation by the crowd with just a ...

That’s been a nice part is I’m able to properly say thank you to everybody.” "I don’t want it to be some big secret. If you wait until the middle of the offseason to do it, I don’t get to properly go around this building because nobody knows," said Watt. I want to be able to on my last game say thank you to everybody and just give that appreciation. I want to be able to when I leave this building shake all these people’s hands and say thank you. “I think part of it was I also wanted to be able to say thank you to everybody who’s helped me and everybody around here.

JJ Watt is overcome with emotion as he is taken out of the game near the end of fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

Through a YouCaring campaign, and plenty of social media attention and help from some famous friends, Watt raised more than $37 million for victims of the hurricane. He owns the Texans franchise record for the most career sacks with 101. But for right now, all I can say is thank you,” he “I had not been emotional back when I made my decision, I wasn’t emotional last week really, I wasn’t emotional at the last practice, I wasn’t really emotional at the meetings (Saturday) night. The second that video turned on, I lost it. “I have not been emotional through the whole process,” Watt told reporters after Sunday’s game, per the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite finishing the 2022 season with a two-sack performance against the 49ers, J.J. Watt has not changed his mind about retiring, saying that while "I ...

Watt could still play if he wanted, and plenty of teams would benefit from his leadership and ability. "He was a problem throughout the game for us in the run game and the pass game," Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said of Watt. "But for it to slow down there at the end and for him to have his moment where he could walk off, I think everyone in this country respects the hell out of him for what he's done on and off the field. In the final game of his 12-year career, Watt was constantly in the backfield, generating five QB pressures; no other Cardinal had more than one. [Javon Hargrave](https://www.nfl.com/players/javon-hargrave/) and [DeForest Buckner](https://www.nfl.com/players/deforest-buckner/). [Brock Purdy](https://www.nfl.com/players/brock-purdy/) twice in Arizona's [loss](https://www.nfl.com/games/cardinals-at-49ers-2022-reg-18) to San Francisco on Sunday and adding five tackles (three for loss) and a pass defensed.