J.J. Watt's Younger Brothers Are Both NFL Stars Of Their Own

J.J. Watt played his final NFL game on January 8, 2023. The Arizona Cardinals defensive end was sacked twice and his team lost, but he said that he was "thankful" and "grateful" for the last hurrah on the field. "I said I wanted to go out playing good ball, and I'm playing good ball," the former Houston Texan told ESPN of his retirement. "I know I still can, I'm just choosing not to, that's all."

The defensive end announced his plans to retire from the sport in December 2022. "It's the right time," he told the NFL. He mentioned that the "stress" of the game — physical and mental — has taken a toll on him, adding that he has a son and had a "heart scare" in the past. "I'm very happy and am very at peace with it," he said.

J.J. was released by the Houston Texans after the 2021 season, making the defensive end eligible to be picked up by any other NFL team. His brother, T.J. Watt, reportedly took to social media to get his older brother to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to the York Dispatch, the linebacker posted a meme of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who is signaling someone to come his way. But, with J.J.'s retirement, it seems the Arizona Cardinal wants his younger brothers to carry on the family legacy.

It was a historical moment for the Watt family when T.J. signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, because all three of the brothers were in the NFL at the same time. Derek — who was already playing with the Steelers — told Sports Illustrated that his younger brother "asked for his blessing" to sign with the same team as him. "It's gonna be awesome," he said, mentioning that he and T.J. were the ones who fought the most growing up. "We truly have become so much closer and I'm excited to be able to play with him again."

But growing up with an older brother who became an NFL legend, it's been hard for both Derek and T.J. to gain recognition as individual athletes. "For the younger two boys, it was super hard to be 'J.J.'s younger brother' — and for so long, too," the brothers' mother Connie told DK Pittsburgh Sports. "Now, I hear J.J. joke that, 'I'm the brother of the two Steelers.'"

And in September 2020, the three brothers had the opportunity to play on the same field in a Houston Texans versus Steelers game. J.J. told AP News that playing against his younger brothers in the NFL will be "incredible," "special," and "very, very cool." And now, Derek and T.J. are feeling grateful for their older brother's guidance.

J.J. Watt's two younger brothers — Derek and T.J. — both play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ahead of the defensive end's final NFL game, the Steelers' Twitter account posted a photo of Derek and T.J. wearing their older brother's No. 99 Cardinals jersey. "Man oh man, I wasn't ready for this this morning," J.J. tweeted in response. "Genuinely could not ask for two better brothers. This means the world to me."

Furthermore, Derek scored a touchdown for the Steelers in honor of his older brother's last game. "To see Derek, I've seen him put in the work and to be able to see him score a touchdown is pretty cool," the youngest brother, T.J., said in a post-game press conference. "Something that I'll have that memory for the rest of my life." He added that the family has plans to celebrate J.J.'s NFL career.

In August 2022, T.J. explained what his older brother's legacy means to him. "I want people to understand how great my brother truly was in his prime," he said on the "Pivot" podcast. He mentioned that he feels the defensive end's accomplishments often get "lost" nowadays. "You go back, and you look, you watch the film, the guy was freaking unstoppable," he added. "Absolutely unstoppable."