J.J. Watt visits Texans training camp with his son Koa

HOUSTON – J.J. Watt is fulfilled in retirement.

The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year walked away from football following the 2022 season with the Arizona Cardinals after spending the first decade of his career with the Texans. During that time, he set all-time franchise marks with 101 sacks, 172 tackles for losses and 25 forced fumbles.

Now Watt, 35, a CBS Sports NFL analyst, gets to spend more time with his wife, Kealia, and their son, Koa, and is a minority investor in a professional soccer team, Burnley F.C. in the English Premier League.

• WATCH: JJ Watt and Kealia Watt returned to Houston for a good cause

On Thursday, Watt visited his former team, attending Texans training camp as he carried Koa around the practice field and greeted former teammates, including head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Watt said earlier this year that he would only come out if retirement if Ryans “absolutely” needed him to play. He sounds very content in retirement as a father, husband and NFL analyst.

Ryans has said that the door is always open for Watt, but the idea that Watt would come out of retirement appears to be a stretch.

Also, if Watt comes out of retirement, he would restart his clock of five years to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Watt is eligible as a first-ballot selection in four years, as long as he doesn’t play in the NFL again.

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Watt also visited his brother, T.J. Watt, at the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp.

“Glorious day for some football in Pittsburgh,” Watt wrote on social media. “Slight chill in the air, pads poppin, season just around the corner. So much pride watching T.J. Watt work, talking ball with the boys, being on the grass again. Thanks for letting me hang out for a few days Steelers.”

Watt recently got in a workout at the Texans’ weight room, which got fans excited and hoping he will play again.

The Texans have two Pro Bowl defensive ends as their starters in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. They also get defensive lineman Denico Autry back this season after he serves a six-game suspension for violating the NFL performance-enhancing drug policy.

Watt didn’t entirely dismiss the idea of playing again for the Texans during his charity softball classic at Constellation Field.

“I’m a very fortunate, lucky man, I have a beautiful wife, I have a beautiful son,” Watt said. “I’ve had 12 great years in this league, and I’m very thankful to have walked away healthy and playing great. I told DeMeco last year - ‘Don’t call unless you absolutely need it, but, if you ever do call‚ I’ll be there.’ And he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it. This is the last year I’ll tell him that because I’m not going to keep training the way I’ve been training.

“But he knows he ever truly does need it, I’ll be there for him. But I don’t anticipate that happening because they have a very good crew. I hope that everybody stays extremely healthy, and they dominate and they don’t need any bodies and I just get to watch and enjoy it from the couch.”

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Watt called the Texans a surprise contender before they played a game last season, and he was correct in his prognostication.

“Mainly because I know DeMeco Ryans,” Watt said. “I know who he is as a person. I know who he is as a coach. I know how much knowledge he has and how personable he is, and how he can get that knowledge to players.”

What’s next for Watt? Not coaching. Those are extremely long hours.

“I don’t want to coach, man,” Watt said. “It takes a special person. I love the act of coaching. I love teaching players things and talking to them about it. I don’t love being at the facility at 5 a.m. and staying there until 9 p.m.

“I have so much respect for coaches because of everything they do. But I’m very fortunate, and I put my body through a lot for 12 years, so I can set my own schedule if I want to.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.