Silke Jasso
J.J. Watt is finding humor in the recent news of Tom Brady’s official retirement from the NFL. Following ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s report that Brady had submitted an official letter of retirement to the NFL and NFL Players Association, Watt jokingly stated that he wasn’t aware of such a procedure when he announced his own retirement back in December.
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“I was unaware there was paperwork… Definitely not gonna fill that out, but definitely retired,” Watt tweeted on Friday.
According to Schefter, “This letter silences any questions about whether Brady might return and now makes him eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2028.”
According to NBC Sports, the NFL no longer requires “retirement papers” which can be reversed, in 2019. Despite this, a player can still file the papers if they’d like to immediately begin receiving their pension, which will become available automatically after one year of retirement.
I was unaware there was paperwork…
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) February 10, 2023
Definitely not gonna fill that out, but definitely retired. https://t.co/7wDQVxu7Ma
T.J. Watt, J.J.’s brother and a player for the Pittsburgh Steelers had previously expressed his desire to see both J.J. and Tom Brady inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, now that they have both retired, in a previous interview with PEOPLE.
“He’s the greatest of all time,” stated the 28-year-old. “I’m excited to hopefully be at the Hall of Fame ceremony with him and my brother. I’m sure it’d be a good time.” Previously, J.J. announced his retirement following his final game of the season with the Arizona Cardinals, ending his 12-season career in the NFL.
J.J. shared the news of his retirement through photos of himself and his family after a game, which included his wife Kealia Watt and their then 2-month-old daughter Koa James. He captioned the photos, “Koa’s first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game.”
“My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure,” he added.
