Watt returns looking to bounce back after two major injuries
HOUSTON— J.J. Watt smiles and chuckles quietly when asked if he’s heard from Houston Texans fans who can’t wait to see if he’ll be the player he once was.
Watt returns Sunday after injuries limited him to eight games over the last two seasons.
“I’m very excited,” he said Wednesday. “I’m sure there are a lot of people who are cautiously optimistic. Obviously the last two years we’ve said the same thing. So, I’m just looking forward to going out there and playing football, letting it loose, having fun and letting the chips fall where they may.”
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year will get an immediate test when the Texans open their season with a trip to face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Watt is healthy and appears ready to make a comeback after playing three games in 2016 before having season-ending back surgery, and missing the last 11 games of 2017 after breaking his left leg.
“They’ve been doing things for a long time at a very high level, so it’s always exciting to get out there on the field and be able to play against a team of that caliber,” Watt said. “Very much looking forward to the challenge and looking forward to get back on the field myself.”
While the anticipation of seeing how Watt will perform in his first regular-season game since Oct. 8 is great, Watt insists that after everything he’s been through he’s simply savoring every moment instead of worrying what might happen.
“It’s been a long road, it’s been a grind, it’s been a lot of ups and downs over the last couple of years, obviously … but the thing I’m most looking forward to is today’s practice,” he said. “Little things—I love practice, I love the meetings, I love focusing on an opponent, going out there with my guys and trying to figure out the best plan, and just the game of football. I just love being a part of it.”
The return of Watt and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus, who sustained a season-ending injury in the same game as Watt, to play with 2014 top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney should make Houston’s defensive front one of the team’s strengths. New England coach Bill Belichick was asked about the difficulty of dealing with Watt.
“He’s very hard to block,” Belichick said. “He’s a great player, one of the great players in the league. He has a lot of company up there, too. They have a very good defensive front.”