JJ Watt is one of the most productive football players of all time. Watt is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, five-time First-Team All-Pro, a part of the NFL All-Decade team for the 2010s, and Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2017.
As accomplished as Watt was on the field, the only thing Watt didn’t do was hold a Lombardi Trophy or play for the team that Lombardi made famous, the Green Bay Packers.
So why didn’t JJ Watt suit up for the Green and Gold? On Tuesday’s appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Watt spoke about what prevented him from playing for the Packers.
JJ Watt Explains Why He Didn’t Become a Packer In 2021
This is a classic what-could-have-been story, a perfect ending to a Hall-of-Fame career JJ Watt suiting up for his hometown team.
Watt didn’t want to get into specifics on why it didn’t happen but said it would have been awesome to play for the Packers, but “it wasn’t really an option.”
Packers’ fans immediately pointed to the drama surrounding the Packers and Quarterback Aaron Rodgers that same offseason. Based on Watt’s claims, Green Bay wasn’t an option for any free agents that year, as they did nothing to improve a roster that was one game away from a Super Bowl appearance.
So, while the drama that surrounded the team in 2021 was there, it’s not the reason why the Packers didn’t sign him.
Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers is so disgruntled with the Green Bay Packers that he has told some within the organization that he does not want to return to the team, league and team sources told ESPN on Thursday.
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— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2021
At this point, JJ Watt dealt with injuries and wouldn’t be the same player he was in his prime. It would be hard to justify signing Watt just because he was born in Wisconsin.
The fan in me would have loved to see that happen because Watt and Kenny Clark could have some damage along the defensive line. But it was smart the Packers did not sign Watt in free agency.
It seems Watt is not regretting his decision. He finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals before retiring this past season. In June, Watt announced he signed a multi-year deal with CBS to serve as an NFL studio analyst, and in May, he and his wife Kealia became minority owners of Burnley F.C.
While it was disappointing that JJ Watt never became a Packer, sometimes the what-ifs in sports are a lot better than it coming to fruition.
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