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.

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— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 27, 2022

TEMPE, Ariz. — J.J. Watt could be a terrifying presence on a football field, hunting opposing quarterbacks with unparalleled ferocity, particularly during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans.

But the 6-foot-5, 288-pounder also could be a joyful fan favorite, playing catch on the sideline with young fans in the stands before games.

Now one of the best defensive players in NFL history looks as if he’s ready to call it a career.

Watt – a three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year – indicated Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season, posting pictures of his wife and baby on social media while writing: “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.”

The Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman and his wife, Kealia, became parents in October. Koa is the name of their son. Watt’s two brothers, T.J. and Derek, also play in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Unbelievable career!” Derek Watt posted on Twitter. “Can’t wait for the Hall of Fame ceremony in 5yrs! #FirstBallot #ProudYoungerBrother”

T.J. Watt simply posted a picture in reply to J.J.’s post, a shot of character Michael Scott from “The Office” TV show, smiling with tears in his eyes. T.J. Watt is a three-time All-Pro and was the AP Defensive Player of the Year for last season.

J.J. Watt, 33, was among the premier defensive players in the NFL during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans. The former Wisconsin standout was a first-round pick in 2011 and was dominant from 2012 to 2015, finishing that four-year stretch with 69 sacks, to earn all three of his AP Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Watt was solid during his rookie season, but became a star in 2012, with a stunning 20 1/2 sacks and 39 tackles for a loss. His production dipped slightly in 2013 before two more big seasons. He had 20 1/2 sacks in 2014 and 17 1/2 in 2015.

His numbers slipped during the later half of his career, largely because of injuries. He missed big chunks of time in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021, but has had a late-career revival with the Cardinals – his 9 1/2 sacks this season are his most since 2018.

Watt spent his first 10 seasons with the Texans, leaving in 2021 as one of the most beloved figures in the city’s sports history. His community efforts were unmatched, highlighted by raising more than $40 million for Hurricane Harvey relief, which earned him the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

BRONCOS: His family bought the Denver Broncos last summer but it was on Tuesday that CEO Greg Penner really took ownership of the franchise.

Penner made it clear that not only will he lead the search for a new head coach but that Nathaniel Hackett’s replacement will report directly to him and not to General Manager George Paton.

“Yes, the new head coach will report to me, which is the more typical structure in the NFL,” Penner said. “Obviously, the relationship between the general manager and the head coach is a critical one and George is going to be intimately involved with this process of looking for a new head coach and we’ll make sure that there’s a good fit there.”

Penner, his wife, Carrie Walton-Penner, and her father, Rob Walton, purchased the team for $4.65 billion, a global record for a professional sports franchise. Limited partners include former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The team has proven to be more of a fixer-upper than the new owners expected.

The Broncos have tumbled through a 4-11 season and quarterback Russell Wilson has stumbled through the worst season of his career after signing a $245 million extension before the opener.

PACKERS: Green Bay has placed defensive lineman Dean Lowry on injured reserve after a calf issue caused him to leave the Packers’ 26-20 victory at Miami on Sunday.

The move will end Lowry’s streak of 101 consecutive regular-season games played.

Lowry, a 2016 fourth-round pick from Northwestern, started 12 games this season and had 43 tackles to rank second among Packers defensive linemen. Lowry had a career-high five sacks last season, but had only half a sack this season.