THURSDAY: Hopes Watt could somehow return late in a potential Cardinals playoff run now sound unrealistic. Watt suffered the following injuries in the second half of the Cardinals’ win over the Texans: a torn labrum, torn bicep, torn rotator cuff and a dislocated shoulder, Rapoport tweets. While still not ruling Watt out for a possible Cardinals playoff run, Rapoport adds the 11th-year vet will undergo surgery next week (video link).
Watt somehow finished the Cards’ Week 7 win but will likely be out of the picture for the unbeaten team the rest of the way. Although Watt beat his timetable to recover from a torn pec in 2019, returning for the Texans’ two playoff games that season, this latest run of injury misfortune figures to sideline the future Hall of Famer well into the offseason.
WEDNESDAY: It sounds like J.J. Watt‘s shoulder injury will likely cost him the rest of the season. The Cardinals pass rusher is likely to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
Watt injured his shoulder during Sunday’s win over the Texans, but there was hope that the veteran would only miss weeks, not months. Instead, Watt’s upcoming surgery will likely sideline him for the rest of the 2021 campaign. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), the recovery time is expected to take at least three months, which would bring us to late in the postseason. That slightly leaves the door open for a Watt return (especially considering his past ability to recover quickly), but no one should be hanging their hat on that scenario. Per Schefter, the surgery has yet to be scheduled.
Watt’s stint with the Texans ended this offseason, and he proceeded to ink a two-year, $28MM deal with the Cardinals. So far, that investment has been worth it for the team, as Watt has played a major role in guiding Arizona to a 7-0 record and a top-five defense. Through seven games, the 32-year-old has collected 16 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, five tackles for loss, and six QB hits. Despite his injury, he managed to finish Sunday’s win, but he was limited to a season-low 30 snaps on defense.
Injuries have consistently been an issue for the all-time great. Injuries in 2016 and ’17 interrupted Watt’s stratospheric pace, and although the three-time Defensive Player of the Year returned to an All-Pro level in 2018, the former Texans superstar missed a chunk of the 2019 season as well. Since 2016, Watt has missed a total of 32 regular season games, and we’ll be able to pencil in another 10 missed games for 2021.
While there really isn’t a silver lining, at least the Cardinals can rest a bit easier knowing they’ll be getting some reinforcement on their defensive line this week. Arizona will have Chandler Jones on the field after he spent the past two weeks on their reserve/COVID-19 list.
Guy is a great player but he can’t seem to stay healthy
Poor Watt can’t catch a break. Stays hurt. Just sad.
Time to retire old hoss…..
Facts
Meanwhile Hassein Reddick has 6.5 sacks in Carolina. Keim could of afforded both.
If this were JD Clowney the comments would be so different. Why does Watt get a pass for never being healthy and yet hardly no one else does?
Lemme think. Can’t quite figure out why….
How did he get a pass? Everyone said he can’t stay health and should retire. But if you want to make things up that’s cool.
2 of the 4 comments previous to this one have to do with Watt not being able to stay healthy. How many do you need before it would qualify as equal for you? But you do whatever you need to do to fit your narrative.
And . . . it surely could have just a bit to do with actual production while they are on the field. Clowny is a bust. There is no way around that. Watt is a perennial pro-bowler. Is it really that difficult to see the difference?
I believe Clowney has more sacks this year. To the other comments, this is what I mean. Clowney gets ripped and people feel sorry for Watt because he gets hurt.
Key phrase is “this year.” Extrapolate that over their careers and it’s not really close. Nobody should rip anybody for being hurt. Football is a brutal game; and unfortunately, injuries are part of it. But I also believe that nobody should insinuate that race has anything to do with the comparison when the stats alone tell the story.
Watt has 102 sacks over 11 seasons (9.27 sacks per season), 5x Pro Bowl, 5x All Pro, 547 total combined tackles.
Clowney has 35.5 sacks over 8 seasons (4.43 sacks per season), 3x Pro Bowl, 271 total combined tackles
And maybe that’s not where you were going with it in your original comment, but keyser_soze sure seemed to imply it under yours.
It wasn’t where I was going. More like Watt is being paid as if he is a top DE now and he’s not. Clowney is making half of what Watt is making. I just don’t understand why some players, white or black will never be criticized when they are always hurt. Watt acted like money was not an issue when he was a free agent but surprisingly he signed for the most a team offered. Nobody saw the Cardinals as being undefeated at this point.
All valid points. I did read an article that basically laid out how Watt has helped this Cardinals defense outside of just his play. Him being in the league, part of strong defenses over the years, has gifted him with important knowledge that especially can help younger guys trying to get better. I agree with you that nobody really saw this performance coming from the Cardinals, who have been more impressive on the defensive side of the ball. I just think we may underestimate what Watt brings to teams outside of his own play, like his leadership, attitude and work ethic. All of those things can rub off on other guys. And then again, maybe I’m completely wrong; but it’s just the vibe I’ve gotten throughout his career. Maybe the Cardinals knew they weren’t getting Watt for his prime years, but still valued his production and the benefits he brings off the field for that salary.
Your points are well taken. Watts is not greedy just getting paid like an All-Timer should. His brother is just as good with the Steelers.
The fact he’s being paid what he is, that’s Arizona’s mistake. Any deals offered to him should have been for low guaranteed salary with hefty bonuses for games/snaps played, and sacks/tackles. Prolonged injury history should have been enough to prevent teams from throwing a pile of money at him. As much as I like Watt, I was relieved when GB wasn’t able to bring him home.
And people have been talking about him not being able to stay healthy for years. If Clowney is getting dumped on more than Watt, it’s probably because he didn’t/doesn’t play as hard, or try to play through injury like Watt.
Watt’s a 3-time DPOY, 1st ballot HOF’er. Clowney, while very valuable when healthy, never lived up to the hype.
Watt didn’t miss a game from 2011 – 2015 absolutely wreaking havoc. Do you remember that?
It comes off as kind of odd that you want people to rip athletes for being hurt.
“Watt acted like money was not an issue when he signed as a free agent but surprisingly he signed for the most a team offered.”
– Not sure what this even means. First off, you don’t know for sure what the highest offer was. Secondly, many people saw the Cardinals as contenders this year. What if he actually knowingly signed with a championship contender that also happened to be the highest bidder?
@Brownsbacker, my bad for assuming you meant something else. I apologize. Your point is valid if you’re simply referring to some people getting a pass for being injured and others constantly getting ripped for it. Again, if you just compare Clowney and Watt I think it has more to do with Clowney being the top overall pick, and therefore being perceived as a bust if he doesn’t end up in the hall of fame.
Because Watt went to Wisconsin for one. For another, he was tremendously generous to the Houston citizens. His hurricane relief was stellar. If you can prove to me that y is such a person, I’m in. But otherwise there is no comparison in the community or on the field.
And the beat goes on…
Eagles should ship Derek Barnett to AZ.
Can’t wait to hear Pat McAfee talk about this. Maybe he will realize why certain veteran players are traded for late round draft picks at best, or released.
Retire already…..Sure as hell shouldn’t need more $$$$
He had a 4 year run where he was the most dominating defensive player of his generation. It’s sad that injuries 4 of the last 5 years have sacked him
Time to hang it up JJ, congrats on a Hall of Fame career!
Can you even IMAGINE the career Watt would have had without all the injury problems?