Cards' Watt clarifies: Sack dance a tribute to Allen

MINNEAPOLIS -- Cardinals antiaircraft extremity J.J. Watt said his solemnisation pursuing his 2nd sack successful Arizona's 34-26 loss to Minnesota connected Sunday was a tribute to erstwhile Vikings pass-rusher Jared Allen -- who was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor astatine halftime -- and not an insult.

Watt broke retired Allen's roping-a-calf regular aft his 2nd sack of Vikings backmost Kirk Cousins, which came astir the 5:15 people of the 4th quarter. Watt started with his ain touch: rocking the baby, which was a tribute to his newborn son, Koa. Then Watt mimicked Allen's post-sack celebration, successful which helium pretends similar he's roping a calf and puts his hands successful the aerial similar a cowboy does aft throwing the lasso.

As soon arsenic Watt finished, the fans booed.

"I besides privation to wide up -- intelligibly the fans present misinterpreted my Jared Allen tribute," Watt said successful beforehand of his locker aft the game. "Jared Allen's 1 of my favourite players of each time, and that was perfectly a mode to grant him connected his nighttime here. Zero disrespect. I would ne'er disrespect him.

"I person a batch of respect for Jared Allen, truthful I anticipation that clears that up."

Watt reiterated that the solemnisation "was a tribute, not a slight" successful a tweet posted aboriginal Sunday evening, which helium concluded, "Don't get it twisted. #Legend"

Like Allen, Watt has made a vocation of bringing down quarterbacks. Allen had 136 sacks successful 12 seasons; Watt, presently successful his 12th season, has 106.5 sacks.

"He's 1 of the champion of each time," Watt said of Allen. "He's a large player. I loved watching him. I met him a mates of times. I person a monolithic magnitude of respect for him. So, it was large to spot him spell into their Ring of Honor. It's precise well-deserved. And I anticipation helium took it arsenic a tribute and understood that it was a motion of respect."

Watt said the 2 had meal erstwhile helium was coming retired of Wisconsin successful 2011 but that they person ne'er worked together. Watt, 33, said helium appreciated however Allen, 40, who entered the tract astatine U.S. Bank Stadium connected horseback for his Ring of Honor ceremony, went astir his vocation his ain way.

"It's awesome," Watt said. "I mean, the mullet, the horses, the cowboy hats. I mean, the feline did it the close way, and it was a batch of amusive to ticker and a batch of amusive to conscionable to spot the mode helium did it, and I deliberation contiguous helium deserved to beryllium successful the Ring of Honor. Absolutely."