Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt tweeted Sunday that his heart had to be shocked back into rhythm late last week after it went into atrial fibrillation (A-fib).
Watt’s tweet came just hours before the team was set to play the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon.
“I was just told somebody leaked some personal information about me and it’s going to be reported on today,” he wrote on Twitter. “I went into A-Fib on Wednesday, had my heart shocked back into rhythm on Thursday and I’m playing today. That’s it.”
I was just told somebody leaked some personal information about me and it’s going to be reported on today.
I went into A-Fib on Wednesday, had my heart shocked back into rhythm on Thursday and I’m playing today.
That’s it.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) October 2, 2022
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that the All-Pro defensive player saw a doctor last week because he was not feeling good.
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III responded to the news by tweeting at Watt: “Life is bigger than football. Glad you are OK.”
“The morning of Dirk’s retirement game, (4/21/19) after being in AFib for more than 24hrs,” Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban responded. “A record for me. They hit me with the paddles and zapped me into rhythm. My ❤️ has been in rhythm since. Not the same as playing football, but you got this @JJWatt.”
The Mayo Clinic says that A-fib is often a very fast heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots in the heart and increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other heart conditions.
“During atrial fibrillation, the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) beat chaotically and irregularly — out of sync with the lower chambers (the ventricles) of the heart,” the Mayo Clinic said. “For many people, A-fib may have no symptoms. However, A-fib may cause a fast, pounding heartbeat (palpitations), shortness of breath or weakness.”
The Mayo Clinic added that while A-fib is usually not life-threatening, people diagnosed with the condition need to take it seriously and get it treated properly to prevent other medical complications from developing.