J.J. Watt had played only five games over the last two years heading into the 2018 season and many thought he would never be the same again.
His last full season before the injuries got him the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award, but a back injury derailed his career.
As he gets set to enter his ninth season, the Texans defensive end wanted to address all of the retirement rumors that have surrounded him the past two years:
Via ESPN:
“I don’t want to leave the game anytime soon,” Watt said. “I love it. Hopefully, we can say that I had two less years of pounding on my body, I had two less years of wear and tear, so that means two more years on the back end.
“I feel good right now. I’m excited about the season ahead. I’m excited about the team that we’ve got and the guys that we’ve got. I love it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I get to go around and chase a ball for a living and they pay me to do it. I couldn’t be any luckier.”
“I get to spend a lot less time in the training room,” Watt said. “I get to just work on my craft, work in the weight room and not have to worry as much, I would say. The last two years, you’re just trying to get back, hoping to be able to play and hoping that you can play at a decent level, whereas this year you get to actually focus on improving and getting better and not trying to come back from a traumatic injury.”
He quieted his critics with his play on the field last season, with 61 combined tackles and 16 sacks.
Looks like those injuries did absolutely nothing to slow him down and that should scare opposing offensive lines.
