Former Houston Texans defensive star J.J. Watt will be busy this fall for a number of reasons, but he won't be playing on the gridiron.
The 36-year-old who had been flirting with a comeback off-and-on since retiring at the end of the 2022 season, seemed to put those talks to rest on Wednesday as the Texans closed minicamp.
"I'll always think I can do it [play], which is a problem," Watt told reporters. But as far as the itch to return to the field, Watt made it clear he's moved on.
"I definitely no longer have that. I'm just comfortable, I'm at peace. We're having our second baby soon. Life is very good, I'm very fortunate."
Not only will Watt have his hands full this fall with a new child, but he'll also have a new role with CBS Sports. After two seasons as a studio analyst, Watt will move into the booth as a color commentator alongside play-by-play voice Ian Eagle.
"Ian's the best," Watt said. "There's nothing better when you've got Ian Eagle as your partner. He's just so smooth, so witty, so smart, balanced. He will make me look good in any situation. I'm very lucky to have such a great partner."
As far as his new role in the booth, Watt is eager to start preparing.
"It kind of stretches that muscle, and I love watching the film during the week," Watt said. "I love studying the players and so that's just kind of all worked out."
Whether he'll be on the call for any Texans games is yet to be determined, but Watt would be surprised if he wasn't on the call for a game this fall.
"I would imagine, I mean we [CBS Sports] have the AFC and the Texans are obviously a draw in the AFC, so we'll have some."
Defensive Depth Dilemma: Navigating Ronald Darby’s Retirement
The Houston Texans are almost completely locked in within their secondary, as far as starters go, but one of their top backup cornerbacks just retired.
Ronald Darby was signed earlier this offseason by Houston, and before training camp even begun, he decided to hang the cleats up. Darby would’ve been a solid, veteran presence that could have started if needed.
Now that Darby is gone, Houston has looked outside of the building for answers, working out several players. One of those players is Damon Arnette, who was a first-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2020 NFL Draft. Another veteran being worked out by Houston is Duke Shelley, who played for the Minnesota Vikings last season.
If Houston opts to stay within the building and pass on some veteran options, there are several players that they should consider.
