Houston Texans legend J.J. Watt will be taking another step in his broadcasting career next season, as he will be joining Ian Eagle's team as an analyst calling games for CBS.
While it's certainly an exciting development for Watt, he is approaching the gig with caution.
During a recent episode of the GOAT Talk podcast, Watt opened up on why he doesn't really like to criticize NFL players, something that is definitely part of the job as a color commentator.
“At the same time, I have a very difficult time criticizing guys because I was on the field," Watt said. "I know, you’ve got a guy who’s breaking down film and he’s drawing up the play and you’re like, ‘That’s not my assignment, that’s not my job,’ and you just threw all this blame on me on national TV. So I never want to be that guy, so I’m always very careful from that standpoint, but it has been really, really fun still being a part of the game.”
Watt's reasoning does not come as much of a surprise, as you frequently see former players very hesitant to lambaste current players for the very reasons he mentioned.
Of course, as an announcer, it's part of your job to distribute criticism where it fits, so it will be interesting to see how Watt finds that balance.
The 36-year-old played 12 seasons in the NFL between 2011 and 2022, with 10 of those campaigns coming in Houston. During that time, Watt made five trips to the Pro Bowl while earning four First-Team All-Pro selections. Most importantly, he captured three Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Watt is one of the most prolific pass rushers in league history, having registered over 20 sacks twice and totaling 114.5 sacks over 151 games. Had it not been for injuries, the former Texans superstar would surely be much higher on the NFL's all-time sack list.
