Defensive end J.J. Watt suffered shoulder injury against Houston Texans in Week Seven but still went on to finish the game; 32-year-old will have surgery and Arizona Cardinals do not expect him to return this season
Thursday 28 October 2021 07:02, UK
Defensive end J.J. Watt needs shoulder surgery and the Arizona Cardinals are not expecting him to return to the field this season.
Watt was ruled out for the Cardinals' Thursday night game against the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday, but the shoulder injury he sustained last week - against his former team the Houston Texans - was worse than previously thought.
Arizona had listed Watt as a non-participant in practice all week due to a shoulder injury.
ESPN reported no date is scheduled for the 32-year-old to have surgery but labeled it a "likely season-ending" operation.
In his first season with the Cardinals after 10 years in Houston, Watt started the first seven games of the season and has recorded 16 tackles, 10 quarterback hits, one sack, and one forced fumble.
Watt has 102 career sacks, and the five-time All-Pro was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year with the Texans.
He only played 30 defensive snaps in Week Seven against his former team on Sunday before popping up on Arizona's estimated injury report the next day.
Suddenly, undefeated Arizona have been hit with key injuries as wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, like Watt, was marked down as "DNP" all week with a hamstring injury. Hopkins, however, is listed as questionable for Week Eight.
The 7-0 Cardinals, the last undefeated team in the NFL, host the 6-1 Packers, live on Sky Sports on Thursday night.
