PHOENIX — It's official. Free agent J.J. Watt is joining the Arizona Cardinals, the team announced on Monday.
The former Houston Texans defensive end tweeted a picture of himself wearing a Cardinals t-shirt to confirm the news too.
The Arizona Cardinals said they could not release the terms of his contract.
A source said he signed a two-year, $31 million deal that includes $23 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Watt, 31, is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2012, ’14-15), five-time Pro Bowl selection (2012-15, ’18) and five-time first-team All-Pro designee (2012-15, ’18).
He started all 128 games he played in over the last 10 years with the league. He was a first-round pick for the Texans in the 2011 NFL draft.
In 2017, the Pewaukee, WI native was selected as both the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and the Sports Illustrated Person of the Year.
His three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards are tied with Rams DT Aaron Donald and Giants LB Lawrence Taylor for the most in NFL history.
Watt will be reunited with Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who was on the Texans staff as defensive backs coach from 2011 to 2013 and All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins who was his Texans teammate for seven seasons from 2013 to 2019.
As soon as Watt made his departure from Houston official earlier this year, his teammate and friend DeAndre Hopkins began his social media campaign to get Watts to Arizona.
No it looks like photoshopped pictures are no longer needed. J.J. Watt will be officially donning a Cardinals jersey and rushing quarterbacks among the Red Sea this fall.
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