JJ Watt still looks to be one of the most feared defenders in the NFL.
On Monday, the five-time All-Pro selection Shared photos of workout Watt appeared as statuesque as ever.
Watt casually captioned the photo: “Progress.”
Watt, just 35, has frequently been mentioned in rumors about a possible return from retirement, and this latest photo has done little to quell that interest.
“@HoustonTexans you guys know what to do,” Brendan Walker of NFL Network I have written.
“So when are you coming back? Week 11?” Reply The Texans fan account received over 100 likes.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year will retire at the end of the 2022 season, completing his 12-year professional tenure as one of the best players of his generation.
Watt’s 114.5 career sacks rank 34th in NFL history and he is one of just four players in pro football history with three or more seasons with at least 17.5 sacks.
The former Texan and Cardinals player retired at just 33 years old, but still near his prime.
Watt started all 16 games for Arizona in his final season and recorded 12.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and seven pass deflections.
The No. 1 Hall of Fame candidate in 2023 traded eye black for makeup and joined the media ranks at CBS Sports’ “The NFL Today.”
However, Watt appeared to hint at the possibility of putting on pads one last time in 2024 and returning to the Texans if necessary.
“I’m just so grateful to be healthy and playing great,” Watt said on May 4. “I told DeMeco, ‘I’m so glad I got to play.’ [Ryans] Last year I told him, ‘Don’t call me unless it’s absolutely necessary, but if you do call me, I’ll be there.’ This year, I’m not going to continue training the same way I have been doing it, so that’s the last time I’ll tell him that.”
At the same time, Watt cited the strength of the Texans defensive line, which boasts talented edge rushers such as Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Jr. and Jerry Hughes, and said he “didn’t expect” to return to play this season.
Outside of Houston, Watt has frequently been rumored to join the Steelers alongside his brother, TJ (probably just a fan’s wet dream), but that scenario has never come to fruition.
But if Watt continues to train with this level of focus, it may just be a matter of time before the five-time Pro Bowler is brought in by a team looking to restore some defensive firepower.
