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J.J. Watt quickly became $900,000 richer in the first half of his game on Sunday.
The Arizona Cardinals' edge rusher entered the Week 15 matchup against the Denver Broncos with 6.5 sacks — a seventh sack would have gifted him a $500,000 bonus.
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Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt (99) celebrates his sack against the Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Watt recorded his first sack of the game, giving him 7.5 on the year, less than nine minutes into the game. And boom, an extra half-million in the bank.
But he wasn't done yet.
Watt then recorded two more sacks in the second quarter — his contract nets him a $200,000 incentive for reaching eight and nine sacks each, so Watt pocketed another $400,000.
Watt has another juicy incentive he's playing for — a 10-sack season will give him an extra $1 million.
The future Hall of Famer has had trouble staying on the field in recent years, playing in double-digit contests just three times since the 2016 season. However, he is looking like the Watt of old.
Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt (99) sacks Denver Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien (4) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
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His 9.5 sacks are his most since recording 16 in the 2018 season. He now has 111.5 in his career.
Watt led the NFL in sacks in both 2012 and 2015 with 20.5 and 17.5, respectively. He also had 20.5 sacks in 2014, a season in which he won his second Defensive Player of the Year Award (also 2012 and 2015) and finished in second place in the MVP voting.
He is a five-time First-team All-Pro and is slated to be a free agent at season's end.
J.J. Watt #99 of the Arizona Cardinals sacks Brett Rypien #4 of the Denver Broncos during the first half at Empower Field At Mile High on December 18, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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He spent his first 10 seasons with the Houston Texans.
Watt's performance came in a losing effort, though, as the Cards lost to the Broncos, 24-15.
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