Watt favored for award
Texan’s charity work could be recognized with Man of the Year
MINNEAPOLIS — If Texans defensive end J.J. Watt wins the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award on Saturday night, he will join former Oilers quarterback Warren Moon as the only Houston winners.
Watt, who raised more than $37 million in 19 days for Hurricane
Harvey relief, is favored to win the award that’s presented each year by the NFL to honor a player for his charity work off the field as well as his excellence on the field.
Watt, Carolina tight end Greg Olsen and Baltimore tight end Benjamin Watson are the three finalists this season.
The winner will be announced Saturday night on the NFL Honors Show that’s televised locally on NBC.
“It’s an incredible honor to be a finalist,” Watt said before a fan forum with Olsen, Watson and commissioner Roger Goodell. “I’m so proud to be here with Greg and Benjamin.”
Goodell called the Man of the Year Award the “premier award” the NFL presents each year.
If Watt doesn’t win the award, it’ll be a bigger upset than Phila-
delphia defeating New England in Super Bowl LII.
“This is about positivity in a world with so much negativity,” Watt, 28, said. “We’re thankful to Walter Payton’s family and being able to share in his legacy and help do some good where it’s needed.”
Watt continues to rehabilitate his knee. He suffered a season-ending tibial plateau fracture against Kansas City on Oct. 8.
“I feel very good,” he said. “It’s a day-to-day process, but we’ve done a great job so far, and I’m really pleased with the progress we’ve made. I’m really, really fired up about next season.”
Watson sighting
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson arrived at Super Bowl LII a day before Watt to promote Old Spice in a multitude of interviews on Radio Row. Before Watson suffered his season-ending knee injury, Watt saw enough of the rookie to get pumped about next season.
“I’m so optimistic and excited about next season,” he said. “We have a chance to have something really special, but it’s up to us to go out and make it happen.”
At the NFL Honors Show on the University of Minnesota campus, Watt is expected to become the fourth defensive lineman to win the Man of the Year Award in the 48-year history that it’s been presented.
Pittsburgh tackle Joe Greene (1979), New York Jets end Marty Lyons (1984) and Miami end Jason Taylor (2007) are the defensive linemen to win the award.
The award was established by the league in 1970 and renamed in 1999 after Walter Payton, the late Chicago Bears running back who’s a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The inaugural winner of the award in 1970 was legendary Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas. Last year’s award was shared by Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
Part of larger program
It’s presented annually the night before the Super Bowl as part of the Honors Show that also discloses the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018 as well as individual award winners for most valuable player, offensive and defensive players of the year, offensive and defensive rookies of the year, coach of the year and comeback player of the year.
john.mcclain@chron.com twitter.com/mcclain_on_nfl