J.J. Watt Considered Coming Out of Retirement to Play for Steelers

Watt said he missed the game the most when he came to Pittsburgh for a game last season, and watched from the stands.

“When I went to Pittsburgh and visited T.J. and watched him get ready for the game, that was hands down the moment, where I was like, ‘This is the first time I definitely miss playing,’” J.J. Watt said. “It was halfway through the year. … I felt all those emotions before the game, and then the next morning, he woke up all sore, bruised up, has to go get treatment and everything. I popped up, went for a nice walk and had a coffee. It was great. I don’t have any of those things.”

The Steelers going on a losing streak after his visit ended any thoughts he had of picking up the phone and trying to play for Mike Tomlin.

“After that, I think they rattled off three losses in a row,” he said. “If they had rattled off three wins in a row, all of a sudden, the conversation is just a little bit different.”

Now, Watt says he has put to bed any idea of coming back, even though he acknowledges that it would be a dream come true to play alongside his brother. T.J. and Derek Watt got to play together with the Steelers, and even played against J.J.’s Texans, but the oldest Watt never played alongside his brothers in the pros.

“No, you don’t take a year off and go back,” he said. “I’m 1,000% done. You can miss something and not want to do it again.”