Houston’s Watt is eager to get back on the field, move past injury woes
Former Giant Cruz announces retirement
HOUSTON — Nearly 11 months from his most recent NFL game, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt isn’t hiding his eagerness to get back on the field.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year hasn’t played since he suffered a broken left leg against Kansas City in Week 5 last season. The prior year, he missed the final 13 games of the 2016 season with a back injury that required surgery.
With his recent string of injuries, Watt said he has one major objective if coach Bill O’Brien lets him play in the team’s dress-rehearsal game against the Rams in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
“I want to come out healthy,” Watt said. “I want to be able to go on the field and then come back off the field.”
This summer, Watt has been active in practice and has shown glimpses of what made him great in four consecutive Pro Bowl seasons from 2012 to 2015. Last year, despite the injuries, he made his impact off the field, raising more than $37 million for Hurricane Harvey relief. Now nearly a year removed and feeling healthy, Watt has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the 2018 season.
“This year has been a lot better than last year,” Watt said. “Last year, we were up there (for training camp in West Virginia) for three weeks, then we were in New Orleans, and then we were stuck in Dallas with the hurricane. Just about anything is better than last year. This has been a good camp so far and we’re excited to have a strong finish.”
CRUZ: Former New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz has retired.
In making the announcement Tuesday, the 31-year-old Cruz says he plans to join ESPN as an NFL analyst.
PANTHERS: Coach Ron Rivera says rookie wide receiver D.J. Moore was “chastised” after the first-round draft pick from Maryland was cited for driving approximately 113 mph in a work zone in Charlotte, N.C.
RAVENS: Cornerback Jimmy Smith has been suspended for four games without pay for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
The Ravens released a statement that in part read: “The Ravens fully support the NFL’s decision. The NFL found evidence of threatening and emotionally abusive behaviors by Jimmy toward his former girlfriend that showed a pattern of improper conduct. Our player’s behavior was inappropriate and wrong.”