WATT A SHOCK!
Texans release star DE upon his request
The Texans’ offseason of turmoil continues.
Star defensive end J.J. Watt was released by the team on Friday, according to several reports. The 31year-old Watt posted a video to his Twitter account confirming his release.
“I have sat down with the McNair family [the Texans’ owners] and I have asked for my release, and we have mutually agreed to part ways at this time,” Watt said in the video.
“I came here 10 years ago as a kid from Wisconsin who had never really been to Texas before, and now I can’t imagine my life without Texas. The way that you guys have treated me — besides draft night, I mean, you guys booed me on draft night — but every day after that you treated me like family, and I truly feel like you’re my family.”
During his time in Houston, Watt won three Defensive Player of the Year awards (in 2012, 2014 and 2015). He made five Pro Bowls and accrued 101 sacks in his 10 seasons, while missing large parts of the 2016, 2017 and 2019 seasons due to injury.
“I am excited and looking forward to a new opportunity, and I have been working extremely hard, but at the same time it is always tough to move on,” Watt said.
With Watt officially set to move on to greener pastures, that leaves Deshaun Watson as the lone difference-maker left on an increasingly barren roster. Watson has made it clear that he wants out — but the Texans has made it just as clear there is no interest in trading him.
Reports last week stated that while teams have been calling about the star quarterback, Houston hasn’t budged on the stance it will not move him. If ownership stays true to that position and he plays for the Texans in 2021, he will have next-to-no support.
Other than Watson, the only Pro Bowl players left under contract in 2021 are offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, linebacker Benardrick McKinney and running back David Johnson. The Texans don’t have a first-round pick in 2021 because they used it to acquire Tunsil, and they are without a second-round pick as well. Will Fuller, Watson’s top receiver in 2020, is a free agent, and was suspended for the second half of the season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Houston’s new coach, David Culley, has never held a coordinator position in the NFL, though he has spent nearly three decades in the league. The new general manager, Nick Caserio, is also entering his first full season in that position. Team owner Cal McNair is facing increased criticism as the Texans’ body count piles up. Still, he remains committed to Watson as the situation deteriorates around him. “There is a lot of misinformation out there, I’ll leave it at that. Today we want on focus on J.J. Deshaun is our quarterback, he is a Texan, and we expect him to remain a Texan, and we’ll leave that,” McNair told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Watson, to his credit, has remained calm in the face of the chaos, wishing Watt well on Twitter after his release.
“Salute to one of the Greatest of All Time @JJWatt I appreciate you for all the work you put in and more importantly the person you are,” Watson wrote. “Any team in the league will be better the day you out on their jersey! 1OVE my brother! MORE Glory.”