Cardinals designate J.J. Watt to return from IR

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CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 17: J.J. Watt #99 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on during the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona Cardinals have designated defensive end J.J. Watt to return from the injured reserve list, the team announced Friday.

Watt can now begin practicing and the Cardinals can activate him to the 53-man roster within the next 21 days.

Watt injured his shoulder in the Cardinals' 31-5 win over his former team, the Houston Texans, on Oct. 24. He was expected to miss the rest of the regular season, with a chance to return for the playoffs.

The Cardinals clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2015 and still have a chance to win the NFC West. They wrap up the regular season on Sunday at home against the Seattle Seahawks.