A day after announcing his retirement, Cardinals edge rusher J.J. Watt said he was “very” at peace with his decision.
He called this season the right time to call it quits.
“I put so much into the game,” Watt said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. “The wins, the losses, the mental stress and passion that comes with it. It just weighs on you. It’s heavy. I mean, it’s really heavy. Losses are very tough to take. You live with the highs and the lows. And I’ve always said that I would way rather live with the highs and the lows than never know the middle.”
Watt will retire without a Super Bowl ring, assuming he doesn’t unretire, and having never played in even a championship game.
“That’s definitely something that I’ve wrestled with in trying to put perspective on my career because there’s certainly a huge part of me that is always going to be sad, disappointed and frustrated that I could never get a championship,” Watt said. “That was heavy on me for a very long time.”
Watt said he doesn’t know what’s next.
“I’m young,” Watt said. “I don’t want that to get lost. I’m 33 years old. I feel like I’m young. I have a whole life in front of me, and I feel great. My body feels great. I’m really just looking forward to the future, whatever that may be.”
