Tom Brady said at the end of his Netflix roast on Sunday that he missed the “love of my life”: football. JJ Watt said he was open to returning to the Houston Texans if the team needed him.
In retirement, Brady and Watt have been busy in the business world getting their brands off the ground. Brady is also looking to buy a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders to add to his portfolio of No Bull, Las Vegas Aces and Birmingham City.
Watt and his wife, Kealia, are minority owners of Burnely Football Club and have invested in Hyperice, Athletic Brewing and more.
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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes under pressure from Houston Texans JJ Watt during the first quarter at Reliant Stadium on December 1, 2013. (Jessica Rinaldi for The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Football still seems to dominate legendary players even when they shift to different worlds.
Former NFL star Shawne Merriman told Fox News Digital there were two reasons for this.
“Being in the NFL is the closest you'll get to two things: family and life,” he explained. “And you spend a lot of your time attached to it, the detachment part is what kids have a hard time letting go of.
FORMER NFL STAR SHAWNE MERRIMAN BRINGS VISION TO LIFE BY LAUNCHING FREE SPORTS TV CHANNEL
Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt, left, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shake hands after a game on Dec. 1, 2019, at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Football does something to you as a person. You put in a lot of time, you have about 52 guys in that locker room seven months a year, and you need everyone on that team to come out in order to win a game. When that happens, it gets to you and it's inexplicable and explains why many guys find it difficult to take the next step.
Merriman knows what that's like. He retired from the NFL after the 2012 season. He spent six years with the San Diego Chargers and two with the Buffalo Bills.
He was on the sports broadcasting side after leaving the game, but later launched his own mixed martial arts promotion, Lights Out Xtreme Fighting, and recently started his own television channel, Lights Out Sports.
Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers during a game against the San Francisco 49ers on August 30, 2007, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
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“I've had the idea for a long time to create a locker room in one place, and we achieved it,” he said. “It's completely free, 100% free. It's going to be on all the major TV platforms. And soon you'll be able to get it all over the world and that was the main thing.”
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