Gatorade creates moving tribute to retiring JJ Watt
Gatorade offered a moving sendoff to JJ Watt, the Wisconsin native and NFL star who retired after the 2022 season.
A commercial touting Watt's partnership with the sports beverage and highlighting the Pewaukee native's numerous accomplishments on and off the field aired Thursday night during ESPN's draft coverage.
"JJ Watt has been an integral part of our Gatorade family for over a decade and has always embodied our brand ethos centered in giving all athletes a chance to play sports," said Jeff Kearney, Gatorade's global head of sports marketing, in a release. "It’s been a privilege to fuel his performance for 12 NFL seasons, but we’re even prouder to have worked closely with him to make a tangible impact in the community for so many years. It’s fitting that we celebrate JJ’s legacy during the NFL Draft, where it all began for him, and where it will begin this week for the next generation.”
Watt was selected in 2011 with the 11th pick of the NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, and he joined Gatorade's roster of spokespeople shortly thereafter.
The ad shows clips from Watt's storied career with the Texans, as well as his final two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals; the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is on his way to enshrinement in Canton. But it emphasized Watt's contributions to charity, including his high-profile fundraising efforts for the city of Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
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"We're affecting everyone around us with our every move," Watt narrates in the ad spot. "The more that we can shine a light on the positivity and the good there is in this world, the better off we're going to be. Time and time again, we are showing how beautiful and generous the human spirit can be. How can I make a difference? No matter how big, no matter how small, how can I make a difference?"
As part of the farewell, Watt worked with Gatorade to create a custom Gx bottle, available for a limited time at Gatorade.com.
Gatorade also donated $99,000 — in honor of his jersey number 99, of course — to the JJ Watt Foundation, which has raised millions for middle school athletic programs.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gatorade gives JJ Watt moving sendoff during NFL Draft commercial
