J.J. Watt has enjoyed his life in retirement. He’s been content not putting his body on the line to reach quarterbacks and instead finds peace with charity softball tournaments, owning a soccer club and being a dad.
Still, the former Houston Texans star isn’t afraid to call out those who don’t respect the gridiron gang. Watt made it clear his mind revolves around football last week when he called out Austin Rivers for his comments on the NFL vs. the NBA.
Rivers, a former Houston Rockets point guard and the son of Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers, said on The Pat McAfee Show earlier in the week that he could “take 30 players right now in the NBA and throw them in the NFL” and the same couldn’t be done with NFL players in the league.
Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time first-team All-Pro, vehemently disagreed with the take, quote-tweeting the former guard-turned-analyst: “You don’t got a job in either right now, go head and try it…”
You don’t got a job in either right now, go head and try it… https://t.co/9C5Y4oZyXZ
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 7, 2024
Both sports are incredibly complicated to master, and it takes years to hone the craft at the pro level. Workouts differ. Skills on the hardwood won’t translate to the football field and vice versa.
Watt even admitted in a follow-up tweet that he couldn’t make it in the NBA because: “6 hard fouls is about all I could give you and call it a day.”
This isn’t to say in a 7-on-7 tournament or game of pickup the opponent wouldn’t compete, but in a live game? That feels a bit far-fetched. Also, Watt and Rivers both are currently not playing and haven’t for nearly a year.
Watt retired with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022 after totaling 12.5 sacks to close out his career. Rivers, who spent 11 seasons in the league, last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2023.
Multiple players have transitioned from one sport to another in the past. Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez were all known for their ability on the court before transforming into All-Pro tight ends.
Charlie Ward spent 12 seasons in the NBA after winning a national title and the Heisman Trophy at Florida State in 1993.
Time will tell whether an NFL player will translate his skills to the NBA or vice versa. Perhaps Roger Goodell and Adam Silver could set up a winner-take-all tournament between the two sides to earn bragging rights for all eternity?
