Despite never winning a Super Bowl or even reaching a conference final, J.J. Watt’s career in the NFL was synonymous with success, consistency, and discipline. Over 12 seasons, Watt achieved accolades that few have ever matched.

He was a 3× NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, a 2× NFL sacks leader, and the MVP runner-up in 2014 when he even caught three touchdown passes. Watt is the only player in NFL history with two seasons of 20+ sacks (2012, 2014).

His second-place MVP finish, behind Aaron Rodgers, was an incredible feat-no defensive player had been in the top two of the MVP voting since Lawrence Taylor won it in 1986.

Watt’s Thoughts on Today’s NFL

Watt spent the bulk of his career with the Houston Texans, who selected him with the 11th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals. After retiring in 2023, Watt stayed close to the game by joining “The NFL Today” as a studio analyst. He also has a personal connection to the NFL through his brother, T.J. Watt, one of the best defensive players of this decade.

Today, Watt appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and shared his thoughts on the current state of the NFL. When discussing the dominance of the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, Watt said, “This team is so good at football, they just so happen to be in the Chiefs era right now.” He was referring to the 49ers’ success, having reached two Super Bowls and four conference finals in the last five years.

For me the most striking part of his comments came when Watt said

“We might have a situation in the NFL where we have a Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing situation, you know, you’re in the Jordan era. You’re playing against Mahomes and the Chiefs, and they just happen to be better at the current moment and win the biggest games at the right time.”

Watt’s comparison to NBA legends is appropriate, Hakeem Olajuwon won his championships during Michael Jordan’s first retirement, while superstars like Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing among many, many others never won titles, their careers coinciding with Jordan’s dominance.

Watt suggests that NFL quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts may face a similar fate-great players who happen to play in Patrick Mahomes’ era, where the Chiefs stand in their way. In his six seasons, Mahomes has won three Super Bowls, lost one to Tom Brady, and reached six AFC Championship games, making him the clear obstacle for any team aiming for a championship.

Watt’s Playoff Battles with Mahomes and the 49ers

Watt was part of the Texans team that lost to the Chiefs in the 2019 playoffs, the year Mahomes won his first Super Bowl. Watt knows firsthand what it’s like to face Mahomes in high-pressure moments. In his final years with the Cardinals, Watt also witnessed the rise of the 49ers under Kyle Shanahan.

Since 2022, the Chiefs in the AFC and the 49ers in the NFC have been the teams to beat in their respective conferences’ playoffs, as proof they have both been to the last three conference championships.

The 2024 NFL season is still in its early stages, but based on Week 1, both the Chiefs and the 49ers appear poised to continue their dominance.

The NFL hasn’t seen a Super Bowl rematch in consecutive years since the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills in 1993 and 1994. Maybe, 30 years later, we could see a Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl repeat-but with so much football left to play, anything can happen between now and February 9.