You can stop chanting, football fans. The Arizona Cardinals have finally released the tape.
On Wednesday, NFL legend J.J. Watt had the media in stitches during his post-retirement announcement press conference when he revealed that rookie Canadian outside linebacker Jesse Luketa attempted to FaceTime him while “high off his ass” after having his wisdom teeth removed.
According to the hilarious story, a confused Watt declined the initial FaceTime, only to be sent a picture and voice memo from the “incoherent” Luketa, asking Watt for a jersey before his final game. The two then got on a FaceTime call that had Watt “dying laughing,” before Luketa was forced to sheepishly apologize several hours later after the anesthesia wore off.
Watt promised to release the message sent by Luketa with the rookie’s permission and the Cardinals obliged on Thursday, editing the voice memo and picture into a video of the now viral press conference story. The recording lives up to the billing, with a drugged-up Luketa delivering a desperate plea in a nearly indecipherable fashion.
We've obtained the voice memo @JJWatt @OttawasVeryOwn 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/rA9yHugZ7S
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 29, 2022
According to the recording, Luketa’s message to the future Hall of Famer was as follows: “J.J. … J.J. … At the end of the season, I need a signed jersey J.J. That’s all I wanted to call and tell you. That’s all. Bye J.J.”
A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Luketa was drafted by the Cardinals with the 256th pick in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft following an outstanding collegiate career at Penn State. He made the team’s practice squad out of training camp but was elevated to the active roster in Week 4. Luketa has since taken snaps in five games, making one tackle.
Watt, who announced on Tuesday that he would retire at the end of his 12th NFL season, has played in 149 career games with Arizona and Houston, amassing 580 tackles, 111.5 sacks, 27 forced fumbles, two interceptions, and six total touchdowns. The seven-time All-Pro and three-time Defensive Player of the Year steps away from the game already well-established as one of the most dominant defenders in NFL history and a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer.
According to the text messages shared along with the recording, the 33-year-old NFL legend has promised to get Luketa the jersey he so desperately wanted.
