JJ Watt on Why Jason Kelce Has a ‘Tough’ Retirement Decision: ‘It’s Very Hard to Walk Away’ (Exclusive)

Watt, 34, retired from the league in 2022, and now the former NFL star tells PEOPLE that Kelce, 36, has “a very tough decision to make” before the start of the next season.

The former defensive end explains, “It’s been the only life that you’ve known for so long. Most of us started playing football in fifth grade. So, literally, the majority of your life has been spent playing football.”

After so many years, the demanding NFL schedule becomes the norm for players, says Watt. “August, you go to training camp, and September, October, and November, you’re playing football and trying to figure out if you’re ready to walk away from that, and what your life will look like beyond that is very, very difficult.”

Watt adds, “I know exactly how it feels in the relationships, with the camaraderie in the locker room. There’s nothing else like it. So it’s very hard to walk away from all that.”