J.J. Watt transitions out of the NFL on his terms

At the end of last year, Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt announced that he was retiring at the end of the 2022 season from the game he has played since he was 10. Watt was a first-round pick in 2011 and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Over his 12-year NFL career, he amassed 74.5 sacks, second only to the great Hall of Famer Reggie White. When asked why he was leaving the game, an emotional Watt said, “I’m playing good football, knowing that I could still play and wanting people to remember me playing football, rather than go limping out or being forced out and knowing I probably should have done it earlier.”

In his decision and action, JJ was able to do what very few NFL players have a chance to do—leave the game on his terms. Congratulations JJ.

Exiting the NFL

As the off-season gets underway and avid NFL fans tune into the free agency frenzy that occurs during this time of year, many players will have an opportunity to continue to pursue their NFL dreams while others will slowly realize that their NFL dream has come to an end. In 2007 and after 11 years of playing in the NFL, I was fortunate enough to end my playing career on my terms. While I may not have been as aware of it then, I’ve since learned that how an NFL career ends—by choice or by force—has an impact that could last longer than the number of years played.

Research: The Lived Experience of NFL Players as they Transition

My dissertation research study, based on the lived experience of NFL players as they transitioned out of the league, examined the transition experience of free-agent players who exited the game the way most players exit—they had been cut or released from their teams. Many participants believed they were prepared to handle the transition experience and found it much more complex than expected when faced with the reality that their time in the NFL might end. Study results indicated a first phase of the transition experience, “the initial reaction phase,” where many players described feeling shocked, isolated, and angry.

This constellation of emotions was a result of several factors. While participants acknowledged the popular sentiment that NFL stands for “not-for-long,” all of the players involved in the study expressed the desire to play for at least ten years. Though two participants played ten or more seasons, many other players felt good enough to play. This contributed to shock and anger toward the organization, particularly if the feedback they had been provided before release was consistent with their belief.

Players also reported being extremely isolated during the transition period. This sense of isolation resulted from the belief that others could not relate, as well as what was articulated as a lack of empathy from those without the shared experience. Since playing in the NFL is a unique experience, participants described feeling that there were very few people in their lives able to appreciate the complexities of their transition process.

A recent article, “What’s Next for J.J. Watt,” offered suggestions for what he should do now. Based on the brave free-agent players who choose to participate in this study, a more helpful suggestion for those who did not play the game is to offer grace and allow space for players who leave the NFL to wrestle with the multiple emotional, cognitive, and behavioral difficulties that they might encounter in the process. And for NFL free-agent players struggling to figure out the next steps of their journey after the cheering stops, please give yourself that same grace. Understand that this transition experience is unique and complex and not one you must navigate alone.