PUSHING THE LIMITS
Watt stresses play count not for him, believes he’s ready to go every down
“There were some days where I really questioned whether I’d be able to play again. (That) was a low point.”
In what will be his first game since the Texans’ playoff loss to Kansas City, defensive end J.J. Watt made it clear he has no intention of being on a play count and every intention of playing every snap Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
After undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back July 19, Watt insisted Wednesday he’s ready, willing and able to do whatever he can to help the Texans defeat the Bears at NRG Stadium.
“I feel great,” he said after being limited in practice. “I can do anything and everything I’m asked. I feel no limitations whatsoever. I’m sure they’re going to try to put some limitations on me, (but) the way I felt in the last two practices, I don’t feel it’s necessary.
“I’m a guy that likes to play every play. I’m a guy that likes to do whatever I can to help the team win. If they let me do that, great. If they put a play count on me, I’ll fight it as hard as I can.”
Watt praised his back surgeon, Dr. Mark Prasarn, and Texans team surgeon Dr. Walter Lowe for consultations, as well as team trainers Geoff Kaplan and Roland Ramirez for helping him get through his experience.
As Watt pointed out, it wasn’t his back surgery that caused
him to doubt his return. It was the February surgery he underwent in Philadelphia to repair five muscles in his abdomen.
Dr. William C. Meyers, one of the nation’s foremost experts on core muscle injuries, like sports hernias, performed that surgery on Watt.
“I had five muscles replaced,” Watt said. “Both of my lower abs had to be reattached. My right abductor had to be reattached, and two of my left abductors had to be reattached. A few of them were fully off the bone. A few of them were partial torn.
“There were some days where I really questioned whether I’d be able to play again. (That) was a low point. I was in a hotel room in Philadelphia for, I think, 10 days straight not being able to really walk or do anything.”
Finally, Watt was able to do one leg lift to kickstart his rehab.
“I learned in the offseason how to handle myself and during the week how to handle myself,” he said. “I don’t think you’re going to see any difference in games. You wouldn’t notice anything different on game day and how I approach it.
“I’m going to play as hard as I possibly can. Where the change is going to come is in the offseason workouts, in the practice week and how I structure it and how I handle it. I’ve gotten smarter. I’ve learned more about how to deal with my body, and I’ve learned that I can’t just keep pounding and grinding through everything.”
Watt gives the Texans 10 of 11 starters returning on a defense that finished third in the league last season, including first over the last nine games.
“It feels very good to be back out there,” he said. “As a player, you love being out there with your teammates. You love competing. You love this time of the year.
“I may have this (surgery) every year. You get to miss training camp and get fresh legs for the first week. It’s not the worst thing in the world.”
Watt, who was voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in 2015, hasn’t missed a game in his first five seasons. He played last season with a broken hand for four games, a sore back and the abdominal injuries.
Watt was reminded about his comments on how long he would play. At the time, he didn’t sound like he would play too many more seasons.
“When I made those comments, I’m dealing with all these different (injuries),” he said. “At that point, you’re kind of like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this forever.’
“Now I’m all fixed up. I feel great, and I love the game. As long as I love the game, and as long as I love coming out to practice and playing with my teammates, I’m going to continue to do it.
“I look forward to having a new mountain to climb.”