As a professional football player with the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League, Justin James “J. J.” Watt mostly plays defensive end. 1.96 meters tall and 131 kg is his body weight. Pewaukee High School was where he went to school and played football. His senior year saw him win the Woodland Conference Player of the Year Award in addition to being named to the first teams of the All-State, All-County, All-Area, and Conference at tight end and defensive end.
He participated in one season of collegiate football for the Central Michigan University Chippewas football team. He appeared in 14 games while attending Central Michigan, recording 77 receiving yards and 8 receptions. He enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008 and played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers team.
After redshirting the 2008 season, he was honored as Wisconsin’s Scout Team Player of the Year at the University of Wisconsin. In 2009, he played defensive end in 13 games, and in 2010, he took home the Ronnie Lott Trophy. The Houston Texans selected him with the 11th overall choice in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Texans signed Watt to a four-year contract on July 31, 2011. In 2012, he had among the top defensive seasons in NFL history.
He intercepted 16 passes, forced 4 turnovers, recovered 2 fumbles, had 69 unassisted tackles, 12 assisted tackles, and recorded 20.5 sacks. On March 1, 2021, Watt and the Arizona Cardinals came to an agreement on a two-year, $28 million deal with $23 million in guarantees.
How Much Does J.J. Watt Make?
J.J. Watt makes an annual salary of $14 million per his two-year contract with the Cardinals.