J.J. Watt refutes tweet that appears to rule out Jets as next destination

In updating his Peloton bio, free agent J.J. Watt has apparently eliminated the New York Jets, but he quickly refuted the information. 

The idea of J.J. Watt trading in Houston Texans blue for New York Jets green seemed a bit too good to be true for some fans, but Gang Green and its fanbase may want to keep track of the star defender’s latest social media activity.

ESPN’s Field Yates noted on Monday that Watt started his week by changing his bio on the Peloton workout app, which now reads “SB56…GB…CLE…BUF.” Yates claimed the account, labeled “kJ Watt,” as belonging to the former Texan.

J.J. Watt has updated his Peloton bio and it now reads: “SB56…GB…CLE…BUF”

🤔🤔🤔

If nothing else, JJ has us all dialed in.

(h/t @Pchopz_) pic.twitter.com/C7bzBuMgSq

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 1, 2021

If true, it appears the free agent has whittled his future down to three choices in an attempt to reach Super Bowl 56 in Los Angeles next season. But controversy now surrounds this tweet.

Watt responded to Yates’ tweet, claiming that he doesn’t own a bike.

i don’t own a bike. stop.

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 1, 2021

Whether or not Watt is telling the truth is a worthwhile debate.

It’s not pic.twitter.com/4ffomhGgW0

— Jantz (@Only1Jantz) March 1, 2021

Among the options (in Yates’ initial tweet) are the Buffalo Bills, whom the Jets face twice yearly as part of their AFC East slate. The defending division champions are joined by the abbreviations for the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns, each of whom likewise partook in the 2020-21 NFL postseason.

If Watt is seeking to escape the postseason drudgery of Houston, which has failed to advance past the AFC Divisional playoff round since its 2002 inception, he appears to have found options through teams well on the rise.

Buffalo and Green Bay were each conference finalists before bowing to the eventual Super Bowl participants from Kansas City and Tampa Bay respectively. Meanwhile, the Browns earned their first playoff victory since 1994 in the wild-card round in Pittsburgh.

Since his requested release from the Texans, Watt has made a habit of setting social media ablaze with cryptic tweets and comments that hint about his future. Last week, Watt’s tweet about “mitochondria” had fans from across the league presenting their own theories. Bills fans, for example, noted the “Mitochondria Research Society” resides in The Queen City, a mere 20-minute drive from Bills Stadium in Orchard Park.

Alas, for the Jets, it appears that Mekhi Becton’s Patrick Ewing-invoking recruitment efforts have gone by the wayside. Should Watt choose the Bills, it would likely present a new challenge for Becton. In three career, contests against the Jets, all wins, Watt has earned five sacks, his best tally against an opponent outside the AFC South.

The last meeting came in December 2018, when Watt earned a pair of sacks and a forced fumble in a 29-22 Texans victory at MetLife Stadium. New York won’t come into contact with the Browns or Packers again until 2022.

Whether Field Yates was on to something legitimate or not, the New York Jets remain longshots to employ J.J. Watt in 2021 for a variety of reasons.

Update, 12:58 p.m. ET:

J.J. Watt and the Arizona Cardinals have agreed on a two-year deal with $31 million ($23 million guaranteed), per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The #AZCardinals are giving JJ Watt a 2-year deal worth $31M with $23M guaranteed, source said.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2021

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags