J. J. Watt career stats: Cardinals star retires with Hall of Fame numbers

The final week of the regular season saw J.J. Watt leave the field for the final time, as the future Hall of Famer announced a week ago that he's leaving the NFL after 12 seasons of excellent play.

The defensive end has been one of the best players in the NFL for the entire decade, and his numbers back it up. Watt played 10 seasons for the Houston Texans, before moving on to the Arizona Cardinals for two more years.

He was a complete superstar on and off the field, and the NFL will miss his talent and, more importantly, his personality.

Why is J.J. Watt retiring?

Watt, 33, has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career. Since 2016, he has played in just two full seasons, suffering a ton of harsh injuries that took a toll on his body.

He also had a son born in October 2022, so spending more time with his family also helped his decision.

There's also the fact that he's set to become a free agent in 2023 and relocation with a young child is never easy.

J.J. Watt career stats

He has each and every possible number to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

He holds the record, alongside Aaron Donald and Lawrence Taylor, of the most Defensive Player of the Season wins (3). He was also voted for the All-Pro seven times and nominated for the Pro Bowl five times.

The defensive end led the NFL in sacks twice, oncee in 2012 and the other in 2015. When he was healthy, he was unstoppable. No other player came close to his level.

He was also voted the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for his efforts in helping the city of Houston following Hurricane Harvey, raising more than $40m for recovery and relief efforts.

He has amassed four straight seasons with at least 10 sacks, a rarity in the NFL.

J.J.'s career has been legendary and the NFL will miss him. A true legend. he will surely have his own place in Canton.