HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 08: J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans gets the crowd to make noise in the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at NRG Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Houston Texans star J.J. Watt suffered a brutal knee injury in Week 5 of the 2017 NFL season against the Kansas City Chiefs.
While Watt is out for the season, this should be exciting news for Houston fans: Watt took his first steps since his injury. Look no further than the video above to see for yourself.
Believe it or not, these were Watt’s first steps without crutches since his injury in October.
Watt is not only a star in the NFL but he also helps to give back to the community in a big way. For example, he helped raise more than $37 million for his Hurricane Harvey relief fund.
If you’re interested in hearing about what Watt was planning on doing with all of that money, look no further than the quote below (via si.com):
Watt says $30.15 million will go to Americares, Feeding America, SBP and Save the Children to be distributed over the next 18 to 24 months. Money will be used to rebuild homes, restore child-care centers, provide food and address the health needs of those affected by Hurricane Harvey and the surrounding communities. The remaining $7 million will be set aside for distribution in 2018 after assessing and analyzing future relief efforts.
“I have said it many times over the course of the past few months, but it bears repeating again: The most difficult times seem to bring out the best in humanity,” Watt said in his statement. “I cannot thank everyone enough for their support and donations from across the country and around the world. You have truly shown what is possible when everyone bands together for one common cause. While we are going to do some incredible things with this $37 million to make it stretch as far as possible, it is only one small step in the massive recovery effort that lies ahead. I encourage you to please continue to find organizations to donate to, whether they be some of the ones listed below or others. Houston will bounce back from this and we will rise up stronger than ever.”
On top of helping out Houston in a big way, which is really the ultimate cherry on top, Watt even apologized for getting injured on Twitter…
That just shows how good of a person he is.
I can't sugarcoat it, I am devastated.
All I want to do is be out there on that field for my teammates and this city.
I'm sorry.— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) October 9, 2017
As bleacherreport.com pointed out, Watt has unfortunately been plagued by injuries the last couple of years.
At full strength, the defensive lineman was one of the best players in the NFL at any position, earning first-team All-Pro honors every year from 2012-15. He was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year three times in this span.
Unfortunately, injuries have derailed his career since, with the superstar limited to just eight total games over the past two seasons. After totaling 59 sacks over four seasons, he has just 1.5 since the start of 2016.
According to Houston Chronicle’s John McClain, Watt should be back for the start of the 2018 season.
The truth is Watt, 28, should be able to return by the start of next season – and maybe sooner depending on his rehabilitation – and nobody has a clue about how good he can be until he’s back on the field.
Houston holds a 4-7 record with five games remaining in the regular season.
J.J. Watt is the definition of class act. We can only hope he has a speedy recovery and comes back stronger than ever.
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