Former NFL Player JJ Watt’s Favorite Fast Food Order Is So Good They Named It After Him

While our favorite NFL players are duking it out on the field, the beloved retired players are the ones stealing our hearts off the field. Specifically, the retired brothers of active players.

We’re so used to seeing former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce enjoying retirement at tailgates before his gig at ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, attending Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and starring in countless commercials for Buffalo Wild Wings, YouTube TV, and his new business venture Garage Beer, which he now owns with his brother Travis Kelce. But he’s not the only ex-footballer who’s making his TV rounds. Former Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt spends his days off frequenting “The Pat McAfee Show” and at a particular fast food restaurant: Culver’s. 

The “NFL Today” host and Wisconsin native has often shared his love for the Midwestern chain throughout his career.

“A Culver’s is being built right next to the training facility here in AZ… Makes me feel right at home. #Wisconsin,” Watt wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in 2011.

JJ Watt’s Go-To Fast Food Order

Over the summer, Watt teamed up with Culver’s for the J.J.’s Way meal, which featured all of the former Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year’s favorite foods from the chain.

“I’ve been eating at Culver’s since I was a little kid. I’ve tried everything on the menu, I’ve tried every combination, this, after 35 years, is what I’ve come up with as my favorite order,” Watt said in a video. “I eat at Culver’s so much that they named a meal after me.”

Watt’s favorite fast food order includes a Culver’s Deluxe—which has two signature ButterBurger patties topped with Wisconsin cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onion, and mayo—Wisconsin cheese curds, root beer, and a turtle sundae—made with chocolate custard, hot fudge, caramel, and a maraschino cherry.

The love for this particular Culver’s order seems to run in the Watt family—just like football. J.J.’s brother, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, shared his Culver’s order in a 2021 interview with “Barstool Sports.”

“I get a double deluxe burger—with ketchup because they don’t put ketchup on it. Then I get cheese curds. My fiancée gets ranch. I get marinara sauce. Then I usually do two scoops of chocolate custard in a dish,” T.J. said. 

If you don’t want to take two future Hall of Famers’ word for just how great the fast food chain is, we asked four chefs to choose the best fast food restaurant, and—spoiler alert—they said Culver’s. 

Considering that Culver’s reserved its first-ever celebrity meal for Watt, the burger, cheese curds, and custard combo must be pretty tasty. So, next time we find ourselves near one of Culver’s more than 900 locations, we’ll be giving J.J.’s—and maybe even T.J.’s—favorite order a try.