NFL player J.J. Watt revealed he had to have his heart shocked back into rhythm on Thursday in order to play in Sunday’s game.
In a disturbing sign of how commonplace heart problems have become in recent times among young professional athletes, 33-year-old Watt did not seem to think it was any kind of big deal.
In fact, the Arizona Cardinals star was mostly peeved that someone leaked his personal information to the press.
“I went into A-Fib on Wednesday, had my heart shocked back into rhythm on Thursday and I’m playing today.” The Arizona Cardinals player said in a Twitter post on Sunday. “That’s it,” he said.
According to Forbes, Watt is fully vaccinated and playing on a “fully vaccinated team.”
ESPN reported:
Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt tweeted Sunday, hours before he was set to play against the Carolina Panthers, that he went into atrial fibrillation Wednesday and had to have his heart shocked back into rhythm Thursday.
Watt, who is in his second season with the Cardinals, said he will play against Carolina.
He said he tweeted the information because the news of his heart condition and the procedure was leaked.
Watt missed practice Wednesday and Thursday for what the Cardinals listed as “calf/illness” on their injury report.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, atrial fibrillation is “an irregular heart rhythm that begins in your heart’s upper chambers.”
