After a morning of Twitter-fueled speculation, free agent defensive end J.J. Watt revealed in a tweet Monday that he's signing with the Arizona Cardinals.
The latest tweets from @jj.
source: me. pic.twitter.com/1Y6okQBUy5
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 1, 2021Welcome to the Valley, @JJWatt!
We have agreed to terms with J.J. Watt on a two-year contract.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) March 1, 2021- 5.7m Followers, 704 Following, 3,163 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Jirayu Tangsrisuk (@jirayujj).
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The terms of the deal haven't been officially announced, but his two-year contract is reportedly worth $31 million with $23 million guaranteed.
The #AZCardinals are giving JJ Watt a 2-year deal worth $31M with $23M guaranteed, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2021Watt, who will turn 32 in three weeks, spent the first decade of his career with the Houston Texans and established himself as a force. He's a five-time Pro Bowler, Defensive Player of the Year three times and has led the NFL in sacks twice. He's also known for his humanitarian work, having won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2017 for his incredible hurricane relief efforts in the Houston area.
The Texans' messy implosion during the 2020 season, which has spread into the offseason, likely damaged their relationship with Watt. As he walked off the field with quarterback Deshaun Watson after the final game of their 4-12 season, Watt apologized to him for wasting one of the QB's prime years. In February, Watt asked for and was granted his release and became a free agent.
© Provided by Yahoo! Sports Defensive end J.J. Watt has signed a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)In Arizona, Watt will be reunited with former Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who tweeted in celebration of the deal himself. The Texans surprisingly traded Hopkins to the Cardinals a year ago for a minimal return, a move that ended up signaling the forthcoming meltdown of Houston's front office and ownership.
The Cards will face the Texans during the 2021 season, so Watt and Hopkins will have a chance to get revenge on their former team.
Peloton profile wasn't real
As soon as Watt became a free agent, his eventual destination became one of the biggest topics of the offseason. By Monday it had gotten so crazy that someone apparently made up a fake Peloton profile for Watt that named his three top destinations as the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills.
J.J. Watt has updated his Peloton bio and it now reads: 'SB56...GB...CLE...BUF'
🤔🤔🤔
If nothing else, JJ has us all dialed in.
(h/t @Pchopz_) pic.twitter.com/C7bzBuMgSq
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 1, 2021It didn't take long for Watt to jump on Twitter and debunk the whole thing, shattering the dreams of Packers, Browns and Bills fans around the world.
i don't own a bike. stop.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 1, 2021Fans of those teams were able to keep a flicker of hope alive for less than an hour, which is when Watt announced he was signing with the Cardinals.
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© Provided by Texans Wire ultimate-tag-1-twitter-reacts-j-j-watt-brothersHouston Texans DE J.J. Watt and his brothers, FB Derek Watt and OLB T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers, hosted their premiere of 'Ultimate Tag' on FOX Wednesday night.
The show was actually filmed during the summer of 2019, which is why the familiar imagery of people sitting in crowds with maybe six inches of social distancing between each other was on display amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As expected, J.J. was bullish in his promotion of the reality-like game show, which features complex and action-packed takes on the traditional playground game of tag.
'ULTIMATE TAG on FOX now!!' Watt tweeted. 'Let's Go!!!!!!'
ULTIMATE TAG on FOX now!!
Let's Go!!!!!!
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsKristen Rogers from FOX 29 in Philadelphia described the show as 'parkour meets tag meets flag football.'
Wait. So #UltimateTag tag is parkour meets tag meets flag football?
I'm hooked.
Who else is watching on @FOX29philly right now? pic.twitter.com/smRHIkMz6Q
— Kristen Rodgers (@KristenERodgers) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsGiven that it was something competitive and as much of a contact sport as basketball, some viewers watched 'Ultimate Tag' for its resemblance to the sports people love.
Watching @JJWatt on #UltimateTag is the closest I can get to sports right now pic.twitter.com/hJGOeoGhAA
— Angie O'Brien (@AngieOBrien2017) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAs a Special Olympics Athlete
Am watching @UltimateTagFOX
This is fun to watch #UltimateTag@JJWatt@DerekWatt34@_TJWatt
— Tank Schottle (@TankSchottle) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#UltimateTag has me yelling in my living room like sports are back and I'm ready to throw down a few bets
— christian fox (@christianfox_) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAs more people tuned into the show, or at least gave it a chance, the more they saw how exciting the premise was.
They're INSANE!
Glad we could convert you, welcome aboard!!#UltimateTaghttps://t.co/gPLeoh52OD
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js'He secured the package,' - @JJWatt#UltimateTaghttps://t.co/Pd2oaoBEFh
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe first event professional taggers chasing around amateur taggers on an obstacle course. The method by which players were 'tagged' was actually by pulling off flags on their vests, much like flag football.
The second event was more of dodging the taggers while pressing a button at the end of the course.
We don't even know if Superman has moves like that! 🦸♂️🌊 #UltimateTagpic.twitter.com/O2xlLyVow0
— UltimateTagFOX (@UltimateTagFOX) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe first game was kinda corny, but this game where they have to hit the button is pretty intense. That wall comes up on them fast. #UltimateTag
The third event involved playing tag about 15 feet above ground and incorporating elements of monkey bars and multiple levels in a miniature dome.
All that time on the monkey bars as a Kid didn't go to waste. 🐒 #UltimateTagpic.twitter.com/mp6TwwmlFM
— UltimateTagFOX (@UltimateTagFOX) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOne of the reasons FOX must have gone with the Watt brothers is because of J.J.'s natural charisma in front of the camera, and they wanted to see how that would play with his brothers. As expected, J.J. poked fun at his Steelers siblings.
We guess we'll find out which Watt bro punches the hardest in week 3 of the @NFL. Isn't that right, @steelers, @HoustonTexans? 🥊 #UltimateTagpic.twitter.com/0DjBzQH217
— UltimateTagFOX (@UltimateTagFOX) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAnd the punchline delivered the knockout FOX was looking for.
@JJWatt is having fun ripping his brothers apart in #UltimateTag
— Jillian Scelsi (@JillianScelsi) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js@JJWatt with the jokes on #UltimateTag 😂😂😂
— Rachael Juska (@77Rae) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsDon't be surprised if a new catchphrase to come out of all of this is J.J. saying, 'It's time to play some tag!'
Am I the only one that wants to hear @JJWatt say 'it's time to play some tag!' on a never ending loop!? #UltimateTag
— Alyssa (@alyssssuh) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAnd if J.J. isn't going to say it on a never-ending loop, little kids across the nation might.
@JJWatt My 4 year old is now saying, 'It's time to play some tag!' #UltimateTag
— Audrey Behrendt (@AudreyBehrendt) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsMy boys (7 & 3) are now running amuck through the house playing #UltimateTag Thank you @JJWatt 😂😂😂 #Texans
— Devin Chatham (@DevDev9) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js'Ultimate Tag' reminded the audience of another studio obstacle course program in TV history: American Gladiator, which was also hosted at one time by a gridiron great in Washington quarterback Joe Theismann.
I like any show that gives an American Gladiator tease 💪🏾 #UltimateTag
— Linda (@mzcaramelbunni) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js@JJWatt@_TJWatt@DerekWatt34 I feel like this is the next gen of American Gladiators with the personality and smack talk of the taggers! My kids are hopping all over the furniture, they are a wee bit into this! #UltimateTag
— Tracie McCulla (@TracieMcCulla) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsUltimate tag takes me back to watching American Gladiators @JJWatt@_TJWatt@DerekWatt34#UltimateTag
— Joe Boisvert (@joeyb134) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js'Ultimate Tag' also reminded some of the viewers of other shows in the genre, chiefly Nickelodeon's GUTS, Ultimate Gladiators, and American Ninja Warrior.
This show reminds me of Nickelodeon GUTS. I love shows like this! #UltimateTag
— D i o n d r a (@DRaneaC) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsTwitter Jj Knight
#UltimateTag Ultimate Gladiators meets American Ninja Warrior
— Scott Komp (@Poder2) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOne of the reasons the producers conceived the show the way they did by giving personalities to the pro taggers was to get the viewers habituated to rooting for their favorite taggers; to make it about more than just the Watt brothers and their entertaining antics.
I'm officially a fan of #TheBoss on @UltimateTagFOX ...WOW! #UltimateTag#JJWatt#TJWatt#DerekWatt
— Johnny Maze (@JohnnyMazeRadio) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe #geek on #UltimateTag looks like a off brand Andy Samberg
— Zachery Tijerina (@Cuahutemoc97) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsTwitter Jj Chalmers
Banshee is terrifying- and hands down my favorite tagger on #UltimateTag@JJWatt@_TJWatt@DerekWatt34
— Toni R Koerner (@toni_koerner) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsShe's a #WCW. Meaning she's a Woman who might Crush you on Wednesday. https://t.co/UjjBUb7sw5
— Cheezy Magic Mike™ (@CheezyMagicMike) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsI'm totally here for @UltimateTagFOX! Shouts out to my favorite tagger @FlowsTavon#UltimateTag#TheFlowpic.twitter.com/EIfJ5wzpAa
— Sir Harvey Fitz (@SirHarveyFitz) May 21, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe action returns on May 27 at 8:00 p.m. Central on FOX.
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