J.J. Watt, the former standout edge rusher and current CBS Sports commentator, retired from football after the 2022 season. Although there hasn’t been any indication that Watt is reconsidering his retirement, it seems he might be willing to make a comeback under specific conditions—namely, for his former team, the Houston Texans.
Watt, now 35, was drafted by the Texans in the first round back in 2011. Despite several seasons impacted by injuries, he built a Hall of Fame career during his decade-long tenure in Houston before seemingly wrapping up his playing days with a two-year stint at the Arizona Cardinals. His first year with the Texans coincided with DeMeco Ryans’ last season as a linebacker for the team. Ryans is now in his second season as the Texans’ head coach.
Before the 2023 season, Watt told Ryans he’d consider putting on the pads for the Texans if the coach really needed him (as noted in a video shared by Brandon Scott of Sports Radio 610). It turns out that offer extends to 2024, though this is the last time Watt plans to leave the door open.
“I told DeMeco last year, I said, ‘Don’t call unless you absolutely need it, but if you ever do call, I’ll be there,’” Watt mentioned during a charity softball game (as reported by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). He continued, “And he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it. This is the last year I’ll tell him that, because I’m not going to keep training the way I’ve been training, but he knows that if he ever truly does need it, I’ll be there for him. I don’t anticipate that happening — they’ve got a very good group.”
In 2023, Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud were the talk of the NFL, as they led the Texans to an unexpected run to the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. This offseason, the team added some high-profile talent to its defensive line, like four-time Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter. With Hunter and 2023 first-rounder Will Anderson at defensive end, the Texans are well-equipped. Backup roles are covered by Derek Barnett and 2023 fourth-round pick Dylan Horton.
Given all that talent, it’s unlikely that Ryans will need to reach out to his former teammate for help, but Watt remains an interesting backup option. His comments suggest he’s kept in shape, and during his final season with Arizona in 2022, he managed to play 16 games and rack up 12.5 sacks. So if Ryans finds himself in need of a late-season boost to his pass rush, there are definitely worse places he could look than a Hall of Famer who still has some gas in the tank.
