Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has built a sterling reputation over his years with the organization thanks in large part to his spectacular work in the NFL draft. He's built a sustainable foundation that's driven this dynastic run, though not every selection he's made has worked out.
Veach's first two drafts, in 2018 and 2019, featured very few hits and a lot of misses. Part of that was due to not having first-round picks in either draft, yet Veach has proven he's not immune to errors.
One of those mistakes, though an understandable one, was selecting safety Armani Watts in the fourth round during that inaugural class. He's a Super Bowl champion yet never developed into a reliable starter, unlike Veach's recent mid-round defensive back picks, and it seems he's now announced his retirement from football on social media.
Former Chiefs S Armani Watts Seemingly Announces Retirement on Social Media
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As pointed out by Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports, Watts posted a social media message seemingly indicating his retirement from the game.
"Thankful For The Opportunities That This Game Has Given Me," Watts said before following it up with a peace sign emoji, indicating he's leaving. The former Texas A&M standout left the Chiefs after the 2021 season and hasn't been on a team since 2022, so this seems to be a situation in which his opportunities grew thin and he made the difficult decision to move onto his next career.
During his time with Kansas City, Watts had 58 tackles, two sacks, two deflected passes, and one fumble recovery, playing less than 18% of the defensive snaps in all four years. He was a heavy contributor on special teams, but that's hardly what the organization imagined when they initially drafted him.
It's important to know that Watts' message isn't an official announcement, though former teammates like Derrick Nnadi and Breeland Speaks offered supportive reactions to the post. Barring a surprise, it's hard to see this as anything other than Watts retiring, yet fans can't be sure until we get the final confirmation.
Regardless, Watts became a champion and should be remembered fondly. Here's hoping that whatever is potentially next for him offers him success and happiness moving forward.
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