J.J. Watt had a very savvy reason for not joining his brothers with the Steelers as a free agent in 2021
While speaking with former NFL defensive end Chris Long on his podcast, newly retired NFL veteran J.J. Watt discussed the Watt reunion that wasn’t meant to be.
As NFL.com reported about Long’s podcast Green Light with Chris Long, Watt talked about why he opted not to join his brothers, outside linebacker T.J. Watt and fullback Derek Watt, in Pittsburgh with the Steelers as a free agent in 2021.
The eldest Watt closed out his career with two seasons in Arizona with the Cardinals, and he told Long that not picking Pittsburgh it all had to do with not wanting to cut into his brother T.J.’s contract negotiations with the Steelers.
“Certainly, it would have been awesome to play with my brothers, but T.J. was also going through the contract situation there, and the last thing I was going to do was come in and take any money away from his contract,” he said (via NFL.com).
It’s a rather stand-up reason not to make a decision for your career, as T.J. did land a lucrative deal in Pittsburgh that makes him one of the highest-paid defenders in the NFL.
Good on J.J. for taking the high road, even if a family reunion would’ve been a blast for NFL fans to watch. At least two of the Watt brothers got to share a Wheaties box. A CBS reunion could also be possible, too, with J.J. about to start his broadcast career.