The Houston Texans will induct J.J. Watt into their Ring of Honor on Oct. 1.
Watt, who cemented his legacy with the Texans as the three-time Defensive Player of the Year and a tireless philanthropist, will become the third person so honored. He joins the late Robert McNair, the founding owner, and wide receiver Andre Johnson.
The Texans made the announcement Monday in a video posted to social media.
9??9?? is coming home ?? pic.twitter.com/DHwWVkWUoi
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) June 12, 2023
“Everybody knows how much J.J. means to our family, the Texans organization and the entire City of Houston,” the McNair family said in a statement. “He is one of the most dominant players in NFL history and he created a unique and irreplaceable bond with our fans. J.J. has always kept a special place in Houston’s heart and we’re thrilled to welcome him back.”
The induction ceremony will be held when the Texans host the Steelers, meaning his brother — Pittsburgh star T.J. Watt — will be in the stadium that day.
Watt spent the first 10 seasons of his career (2011-20) in Houston after the Texans drafted the Wisconsin product with the No. 11 overall pick in 2011. He played two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before retiring.
Watt, 34, was named the NFL’s top defender in 2012 and 2014-2015 and a first-team All-Pro in those seasons, plus 2013 and 2018. He also earned the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year award after raising more than $41 million to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
He played in 151 career games, 128 of them with the Texans. Injuries limited him to just eight games in the 2016-17 seasons combined.
He set the franchise record for sacks (101) and made 172 tackles for loss, the most in the NFL since TFLs became an official stat. He also holds franchise records for quarterback hits (281), multi-sack games (26), forced fumbles (25) and fumble recoveries (16).
–Field Level Media
