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Justin James Watt is an American football in the National Football League (NFL). He was Houston Texans’ 11th pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft for the defensive end position. He played football for his home town at the University of Wisconsin. His two younger brothers followed in his footsteps - Derek Watt is a fullback while T.J Watt is an offensive linebacker. Both play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
JJ Watt’s college performance made him a prospective pick for franchises. He was awarded the Lott Trophy in 2010 and the Bert Bell Award in 2014. He has been named to 5 Pro Bowls and 5 First-team All-Pro honors.
Watt holds the franchise record for sacks and forced fumbles. The 2017 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year is also a 3 time NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
In 2021, JJ Watts requested to be released from the Texans, and signed a 2-year $28 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
Watt’s 2-year $28 million contract can be broken down as follows:
| Contract | Signing Bonus | Average Salary | GTD at Sign | Total GTD |
| 2 yr(s) / $28,000,000 | $12,000,000 | $14,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $23,000,000 |
| Year | Base Salary | Signing Bonus | Roster Bonus | Cap Hit | Dead Cap | Yearly Cash |
| 2021 | $2,500,000 | $2,400,000 | - | $4,900,000 | $20,000,000 | $14,500,000 |
| 2022 | $11,250,000 | $2,400,000 | $2,250,000 | $15,900,000 | $15,100,000 | $13,500,000 |
| 2023 | - | $2,400,000 | - | $7,200,000 | - | - |
JJ Watt’s contract guarantees the defensive end $20 million at signing. This amount includes a signing bonus of $2,400,000, 2020 salary and $2,250,000 roster bonus of 2022 as well as $3.5 million of his 2022 salary. $3 million of the 2022 salary is injury reserve and becomes fully guaranteed in March 2022.
The deal also grants a $1 million base escalator for 10 sacks in 2021 and 2022 and another $1 million as bonus. The contract also has a no-trade clause.
| Year | Contract | Signing Bonus | Average Salary | GTD at Sign | Total GTD |
| 2011 - 2015 | 4 yr(s) / $11,237,498 | $6,672,728 | $2,809,375 | - | $11,237,498 |
| 2014 - 2021 | 6 yr(s) / $100,005,425 | $10,000,000 | $16,667,571 | $30,881,810 | $51,876,000 |
Cardinals defensive end Watt has an annual average income of $14,000,000. He is expected to earn a base salary of $2,500,000 in 2021.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, JJ Watt has a net worth of approximately $50 million. Apart from his NFL paychecks, Watt reportedly earns millions from endorsement deals with brands like Reebok, Gatorade, Ford, Verizon and many more.
