Talk about playing the entire NFL in a loop. Just what can be seen as minutes after unmasking a headline that claimed he listed three NFL teams as finalists in the classic to win him, JJ Watt solved the problem by announcing that he had agreed to the terms of an agreement with the Arizona Cardinals – – a club that has never been mentioned or reported as being in the free agency race for its services. The two-year deal, $ 31 million, allegedly includes a guaranteed $ 23 million and is set to put him together with Chandler Jones as one of the best pass rush pairs in the league, but with the deal now agreed, the issue what number Watt will use occupies the center of attention.
His beloved No. 99 was not available in the desert when he landed on the runway, and for good reason. He was retired by the Cardinals a long time ago to honor the legendary defensive half against the defensive weapon Marshall Goldberg, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame who made his presence felt and also by the then Chicago Cardinals after being drafted in 1939, mixing his football career with also serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Many have already started trying to figure out what the new Watt number will be, but it is now official.
Goldberg’s family has no problem taking the 99 out of the beams – considering who will use it.
“He has my blessings,” Ellen Goldberg Tullos, daughter of the late Marshall Goldberg, told TMZ Sports. “And I’m sure my dad would be more than happy if he kept this up.”
And there it is, also now confirmed by Watt and the Cardinals organization. The fact that the Goldberg family gave their blessing is a nod to Watt’s greatness and how they think he will continue the legacy of the number with the Cardinals.
“Well, I know that my father was very honored when they withdrew his number, but he, too, always respected the other players,” said Tullos. “And if JJ Watt had been with No. 99 for a long time and that meant something to him, I think [my dad would] be delighted to let him use the number and cancel retirement – or whatever the appropriate word is. “