Early in his career, J.J. Watt had little interest in becoming a TV analyst after retirement.
But as his playing days wind down, the 33-year-old is open to the possibility — especially after seeing the reported 10-year, $375 million contract Tom Brady agreed to with FOX.
“If offered $400 million, I would take it,” Watt said on The Dave Pasch Podcast. “I would take it. I would talk about whatever they wanted me to talk about and I would do it with a large smile on my face.”
It was a lighthearted moment, but Watt has indeed changed his thinking.
“Early in my career I always said I didn’t want to be an analyst,” Watt told Pasch. “I didn’t want to be on NFL shows because there is an aspect to it where you have to speak on other people’s jobs when you don’t know exactly what their assignment was. That was one of my biggest caveats.
“But the further along I’ve gotten into it and the more that obviously some day it’s going to come to an end, you realize that you love the game and you want to be around the game. You do want to have that aspect of it, so you try and find ways to do it in a more positive light. It is definitely a consideration that has come to the forefront more for me more than it did earlier in my career. I think it’s something I could be successful at and have fun with. We’ll see. It’s still down the road a bit but it’s a possibility.”
.@PaschPod Year 1 wraps up w/ @JJWatt! Thanks to all the great guests including @kurt13warner, @miketirico, @jj_redick, @JamesRoday, @mikal_bridges, @MoveTheSticks, @KirkHerbstreit, @ckirk,@whoisjwright,@buddabaker32 , JVG, Kliff, Keim, & Michael Bidwill! https://t.co/RR4yiO4jZG
— Dave Pasch (@DavePasch) May 17, 2022
Watt, of course, isn’t done playing yet. Pasch asked him about the NFC West during the interview but Watt pivoted and looked bigger-picture.
“I’m done with any small goals,” Watt told Pasch. “I’m done with any moral victories. I’m here for one goal and one goal only, and that’s to win the trophy. That’s what I’m working towards, and I think we have a good group who is capable of doing that.”
The Cardinals have +2500 odds to win the Super Bowl, per BetMGM. They open the season at home against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
