Fans were taken aback when J. J. Watt declared his retirement from football at the conclusion of the current NFL season. The defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals made the announcement after the team’s home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Watt entered the league in 2011 and remained active over the following 12 years. He amassed a tremendous fortune over the course of his lengthy career. His earnings and net worth are detailed below. The first player in NFL history to record 20+ sacks in consecutive seasons, he accomplished this feat in 2014.
Texans fans were skeptical about Watt at first, but he quickly won them over and established himself as one of the league’s all-time great defensive ends. He was honored with Sports Illustrated’s 2017 Sportsperson of the Year award.
Biography of Justin James Watt
Pewaukee, Wisconsin is the location of Justin James Watt’s birth on March 22nd, 1989. Watt grew up playing ice hockey and football alongside his two younger brothers, both of whom went on to careers in the National Football League. He stopped playing hockey when he was 13 to devote himself fully to football, citing the time and money required to pursue both.
JJ Watt was an all-around athlete in high school, participating in four different sports. During this time, he developed a deep love for the sport of football and helped guide his club to significant success. In addition to being awarded the team’s most valuable player, Watt also made the first team of All-State in his last year in high school.
Despite his accomplishments, JJ did not receive much interest from academic institutions. JJ was recruited as a tight end and eventually won a scholarship to play for Central Michigan University. After only one year as a defensive end for CMU, he transferred to the University of Wisconsin.
J.J. Watt’s Net Worth
Net Worth: | $50 Million |
Salary: | $16 Million |
Date of Birth: | Mar 22, 1989 (33 years old) |
Place of Birth: | Waukesha |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
Profession: | American football player |
Nationality: | United States of America |
As a result of his spectacular playing career, the famous player now has a huge bank account. In December of 2022.2, JJ Watt will have a net worth of $50 million. Incredible things are happening both on and off the field for him; he is receiving a growing number of endorsements and is becoming a household name throughout the world.
JJ’s huge wealth largely stems from his salary in the NFL. When his on-field performance suffers, he still manages to successfully market a wide range of major products. He makes a ton of money off the field from endorsement deals with major corporations like Reebok, Gatorade, Ford, Verizon, and many others. J.J.’s annual income might go up to $10 million thanks to his endorsement deals.
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Contracts
J.J. signed a $100 million contract with the Houston Texans over a six-year period beginning in 2014. The signing bonus was $10 million, and the contract guaranteed almost half of its value.
He became the highest-paid player in the NFL who was not a quarterback. After being picked by the Houston Texans with the first overall pick in the first round as a defensive end, JJ agreed to a four-year, around $11 million contract.
Real Estate
Reportedly, JJ bought a house in the Summit neighborhood of southeastern Wisconsin in 2015. The log home in Waukesha County is 4,500 square feet in size and is situated on 35 acres of land. Watt reportedly spent $800,000 on the four-bedroom property.
In 2016, JJ listed his Texas house for $465,000. The “little” house in Pearland has 4169 square feet of area, four bedrooms, and a saltwater pool. This house has a lot size of around a quarter acre. Watt paid over $399,000 to acquire the land in 2011.
Career
Watt declared for the 2011 NFL draft without finishing his last year of college. After signing with the Texans, JJ was thrust into the starting lineup and quickly established himself as an integral part of the squad. He finished his debut season with more than five sacks, and his play was a key factor in the Texans’ historic playoff berth.
He was voted the Texans’ Rookie of the Year after a stellar postseason run. JJ had promised even in his first season, but he didn’t become a household name until 2012. One of the best seasons for a defensive end in NFL history, he finished with nearly 20 sacks this year.
After an outstanding 2013 season, he was recognized for his efforts with multiple awards, including NFL Pro Bowl Team selection and NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Despite the Texans’ general lackluster play in 2013, Watt maintained his high level of play.
To kick off his new deal with the Texans in 2014, he became the franchise’s first player to ever score a touchdown from scrimmage. Later that year, he recovered a fumble by Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and ran 45 yards for another touchdown. JJ finished the season as the season’s best defensive player.
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Personal Life
Watt started dating Kealia Ohai, a professional soccer player, in 2016. The year 2019 marks the start of the couple’s engagement journey. Ohai and Watt tied the knot in the Bahamas in 2020.