The Arizona Cardinals landed legendary pass rusher J.J. Watt following his release from the Houston Texans, where he spent his entire career, inking him to a two-year, $31 million contract on Monday.
Watt, who had a number of offers on table, is speaking about why he picked the Cardinals as his next team from a group of “four or five” finalists, saying “it was certainly close” when making his final decision, which he described as “difficult.”
“I give them credit; they attacked from all angles,” Watt said of the Cardinals’ recruitment during his introductory Zoom news conference, according to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss. “There was, I think, [general manager] Steve [Keim] and [owner] Michael [Bidwill] and everybody did a great job of, I mean, there were players, there were coaches, there were non-football people whatsoever that reached out and were in my ear and trying to convince me to come down here and tell me all the great things about it, and not only on the field but sending me pictures of Paradise Valley and everything off the field as well.
“So, their recruiting pitch was strong and heavy, but, at the end of the day, I told my wife, you know all signs just kind of kept pointing back down here to Arizona, and in my short time here on the ground, I can tell you that I’m absolutely pleased and couldn’t be happier with my decision.”
Watt, 31, will reunite with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on his new team. Watt and Hopkins both played for the Texans.
Watt said that “there’s a lot of exciting things about what’s happening down here in Arizona,” and said the Cardinals “young, extremely talented quarterback [Kyler Murray] here who can do big things.”
“It’s pretty wild now to be on the same team,” Watt said. “But, yeah, I’ve obviously seen his career. He’s had an unbelievable career. He’s an incredible athlete, and what he’s been able to accomplish, he’s been a winner at every stage of his life, and that’s not a coincidence.
“You’re a winner because of the way that you work and because of the aura that you give off and because of the talent that you have, and I think that he has all those things and he’s going to continue to win and continue to have success.”
