

J.J. Watt’s Playful Jab at Austin Rivers Sparks Friendly Exchange
The argument over which league has better athletes has been a longstanding topic, with Austin Rivers stirring things up with his remarks on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Rivers proposed that 30 NBA players could smoothly switch to the NFL, while the opposite is not true. J.J. Watt, a likely future inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, responded without restraint, leading to a social media interaction between the two athletes.
Statement by Rivers and Reply by Watt
Austin Rivers stated with certainty that 30 NBA players have the ability to switch to the NFL, highlighting the athleticism of specific basketball players. Watt, on the other hand, wasn’t afraid to question Rivers’ statement. Watt sarcastically mentioned Rivers’ current job status in both leagues and proposed that he try it himself.
J.J. Watt ROASTS Austin Rivers for his take about athletes in the NBA vs. the NFL. 😬 pic.twitter.com/oaP3UW0Drr
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) May 7, 2024
Watt’s Explanation and Apology
After Austin Rivers replied on social media, Watt admitted that he had assumed things based on the headline without seeing the complete context of Rivers’ comments. He confessed to his error and said sorry for being overly enthusiastic, feeling remorseful for not grasping the entirety of Rivers’ statements.
Sample cases from rivers and ongoing interaction
Austin Rivers responded to Watt’s first reply by mentioning NBA players he thought could do well in the NFL, leading to more talk about the athletic skills of basketball players. He made it clear that his remarks were not intended to be rude but instead emphasized the athleticism of specific NBA players.
Although there was some initial tension, Watt and Austin Rivers had a civil conversation where Watt eventually owned up to his mistake and apologized. The dialogue acts as a prompt regarding the continual discussion about athleticism in the NBA and NFL, with athletes from both sports offering their perspectives.