Wisconsin great J.J. Watt announced his retirement from the NFL towards the end of the 2022 season. The honors have poured in since that date, including an upcoming induction into the Houston Texans’ Ring of Honor.
News broke today of another, as Wisconsin will enshrine the future NFL Hall of Famer into its Athletics Hall Of Fame. The ceremony will take place in September. No specific date has been announced to this point.
The Wisconsin legend hung up his football cleats after 12 NFL seasons, 10 of which came in Houston. He finished as a three-time Defensive Player Of The Year, a five-time participant in the Pro Bowl and a five-time first-team All-Pro. While injuries defined much of the latter half of his career, his peak in Houston from 2012-2015 was one of the best four-year stretches the sport has ever seen.
Watt’s career as a Badger closed after two dominant seasons with 106 total tackles, 36.5 tackles-for-loss, 11.5 sacks and 1 interception. His NFL Draft selection of No. 11 overall remains the highest for a Wisconsin product since Joe Thomas went No. 3 overall in 2007.
A native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, @JJWatt dreamed big and worked hard, from walk-on to @BadgerFootball legend, and one the most iconic defensive forces in @NFL history.
This year, he'll take his rightful place in the UW Athletic Hall of Fame
STORY | đź“° https://t.co/PfBVtNfNBK pic.twitter.com/KJlJ1MNj27
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) June 19, 2023
With a UW Athletics Hall of Fame honor coming this fall, the NFL Hall of Fame will likely call when he is first eligible in a few years.