Odds Heavily Against JJ Watt Retiring Before 2020 Season
- J Watt suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in Week 8
- Injuries are becoming a pattern for Watt, fueling speculation of him ending his career on a sour note
- Could Watt really retire before the end of 2020?
The Houston Texans are enjoying a solid 2019 season. They currently have a record of 5-3 and occupy the final spot in the AFC playoff standings.
For All-Pro Defensive End JJ Watt, though, the season came to a swift conclusion in Week 8 with a pectoral muscle injury. At 30 years of age, the injuries have piled up on Watt. So much so that a legitimate question can be asked if he will retire at season’s end.
The oddsmakers don’t see it happening.
Odds JJ Watt Retires Before 2020 Season
| Total | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +1000 |
| No | -2500 |
Odds taken Oct. 30.
Hitting The Ground Running
When JJ Watt was taken with the 11th pick in the 2011 draft, he showed exactly why he was so highly touted. After a decent rookie year, Watt went ballistic on the league as he sacked the quarterback 20.5 times. He also made 81 tackles on the year as well.
Game Over.. #texans #jjwatt pic.twitter.com/yuYPP8DEaR
— D-Texan (@dtexanz) September 15, 2017
During his first five seasons in the league, not only did he have multiple seasons of over 15 sacks and at least 75 tackles, he also played in all 16 games. He basically lived in opposing backfield, racking up at least 20 tackles for loss in four straight seasons from 2012 to 2015.
His dominance was rewarded with multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards. He was also routinely regarded as the best player in the league, regardless of position.
A first-ballot ticket to the Hall of Fame was a virtual lock for Watt. It still might be, but there are now questions about his future as the injuries continue to pile up.
Watt’s Long Injury History
In 2016, Watt was looking to have another dominant year. But a vertebral disc hernia kept him out of all but three games on the year as he had to undergo multiple surgeries. Instead of bouncing back in 2017, he was limited to just five games before he suffered a tibial plateau fracture.
With questions beginning to surround his durability, Watt responded in 2018. He played in all 16 games and showed that he was still a dominant force, compiling 16 sacks and 18 TFL, helping to lead Houston to a postseason berth. In the process, Watt also was named to his fifth Pro Bowl.
He was playing well, if not dominating, in the 2019 season, with four sacks in eight games. With the news of Watt tearing his pectoral muscle during a Week 8 Raiders win, he will now have to sit back and watch the season from the bench.
J.J. Watt will miss the rest of the season with a pectoral injury. #jjwatt #houstontexans
(@NorthsideTalks_ on Instagram) pic.twitter.com/BATtNGTkYz— Northside Talks (@NorthsideTalks) October 28, 2019
With this being the third season in the last four that Watt has had to miss significant time, will the non-stop injury cycle force him to the sidelines for good?
Best Bet
There is absolutely no way that JJ Watt will call it a day on his career at the end of this season.
It’s been a rough few years for Watt. However, he has shown that when he is fully healthy, he is still a great player. Let’s also not forget that he is only 30 years of age. He has already shown the will to return from two previous season-ending injuries, and he has way too much left in the tank to end his legendary career because of a third.
Hans Themistode has worked in sports journalism since attending Queens College, and has worked for several newspapers including the BX Times and Canarsie Courier, as well as writing for publications such as Fansided and The Clever. His work has also been featured on Bleacher Report.
