One of the greatest NFL Badgers of all-time is calling it a career.

Defensive lineman JJ Watt announced Tuesday morning that this would be his final season.

Koa’s first ever NFL game.
My last ever NFL home game.

My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.

🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/wXbDUcHM8B

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 27, 2022

Watt was a two-year starter at Wisconsin after transferring in from Central Michigan. He was a force both seasons, but was a true difference maker as a junior in 2010. He led the team with 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. He also helped deliver the Badgers their first Big Ten title since 1999.

The Pewaukee native declared early for the NFL Draft and ended up being selected by the Houston Texans with the 11th pick of the first round. The pick was heavily criticized, with many wanting Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley. But Watt would soon show Houston that he was the right pick and Fairley would last just six years in the league.

After a solid rookie year, Watt dominated in his second season, racking up 20.5 sacks and being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He would go on to win that award two more times and is just one of three NFL players to have won it three times. If not for injuries that limited him to just eight games total in 2016 and 2017, Watt likely would have been in the mix to win it a couple more times.

Following the 2020 season, Watt was released by the Texans and ended up signing with Arizona. He played in just seven games last season because of injuries, but returned this year to rack up 9.5 sacks, his most since 2018.

His career accolades include being a unanimous selection for the NFL 2010s All-Decade team, a five-time first-team All Pro and the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year award. In his 12 seasons, Watt recorded 111.5 sacks, while posting 191 tackles for loss, the second-most in the NFL since 1990.