J.J. Watt Signs With Arizona Cardinals, and Fans Go Off

Monday morning, three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt stunned football fans. He posted a photo of himself doing back squats while wearing an Arizona Cardinals shirt. This image brought an end to the rumors about possible destinations and confirmed Watt’s move to the NFC. ESPN’s Adam Schefter then revealed that Watt’s deal was for two years and $31 million with $23 million guaranteed.

When Watt dropped the news, he created an uproar on social media. Many football fans expressed excitement about the news, especially those that reside in Arizona. Others, however, took a different approach. They wondered why Watt joined a team that missed the playoffs in 2020 instead of going to Pittsburgh to join his brothers, T.J. and Derek. The comments continued as thousands of fans reacted to the big news.

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With Watt joining the Cardinals, he is officially reuniting with former teammate DeAndre Hopkins. The Texans traded the all-star receiver to Arizona prior to the 2020 season in exchange for running back David Johnson, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick. Now they will pair up once again and attempt to deliver a Lombardi Trophy.

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There were multiple teams linked to Watt prior to him dropping the big news on Monday. The rumored top teams were the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills, which created concern among rival teams. With the news that Watt is joining the Cardinals, several of these fanbases reacted with excitement. Those that root for the Chicago Bears or New York Jets expressed happiness about not having to face Watt twice a year. 

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“But Dallas was right down the street,” a high-profile Cowboys fan tweeted in response to Watt’s news. Many other supporters of America’s Team made similar comments. They had hoped to see the three-time Defensive Player of the Year head to Dallas and help shake up the NFC East. 

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“I thought he wanted to go somewhere where they were a Super Bowl contender in the next year or two, good team but I just don’t see that with the Cardinals,” one person commented after hearing the news. There were several debates on social media about whether the Cardinals would find success. The team excited fans early in the 2020 season but faltered down the stretch and missed the playoffs. Will Watt help Arizona book a trip to the postseason?

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“You had a choice between playing with your brothers or playing for your hometown/childhood team and choose the Cardinals,” one Twitter user added to the conversation. When Watt dropped the news, many wondered why he didn’t head to Wisconsin or Pennsylvania. Others said that there was a simple explanation — Watt likes the heat. 

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“Vikings fans’ nightmare of him signing with the Packers not coming to fruition is actually a bit surprising,” one person commented on Twitter. There were several football fans that didn’t have a desired destination for Watt once he became a free agent. They just simply hoped that he would not play for a rival team and cause heartache on a regular basis. 

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While the majority of comments revolved around the teams that Watt did not sign with or the Cardinals’ playoff chances, others took a different route. Many football fans asked how this signing would impact Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. Would “Mr. Unlimited” push for a trade instead of having to face so many talented defenders on a regular basis?