J.J. Watt to be inducted into Houston Texans Ring of Honor

HOUSTON (KIAH) — One of the greatest players in the brief history of the Houston Texans will be honored during the 2023 season as J.J. Watt will be inducted into the team’s ring of honor in October, the team announced recently.

Watt, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will join his former teammate Andre Johnson and late owner Bob McNair in the Ring of Honor on Sunday, Oct. 1, when the Texans host the Pittsburgh Steelers. His brother, T.J. Watt, is a key player on the Steelers' defense.

Watt became one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL in the 2010s with 101 career sacks with the Texans, a franchise record and the second most in the league in that span of time. He also had 172 tackles for loss, the most in the NFL since they became an official statistic.

That allowed Watt to become a three-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012, 2014 and 2015, along with five Pro Bowl selections and five first-team All-Pro picks.

Watt was the No. 11 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft from the University of Wisconsin and spent 10 seasons in Houston before leaving to play two more seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He announced his retirement at the end of last season.

Watt’s big impact to the city of Houston came in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, when he raised over $41 million to help those in need after the storm. For that, he was named the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.

While at Wisconsin, Watt started the Justin J. Watt Foundation in 2010 out of a desire to help underserved kids. His personal motto of "Dream Big, Work Hard" culminated into a mission that he has used to impact communities all over the country.

The McNair family statement is as follows:

“We are so excited to have J.J. Watt join the Ring of Honor as our third member. Everybody knows how much J.J. means to our family, the Texans organization and the entire City of Houston. 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. On the behalf of the entire organization, we can’t wait to give J.J. and his family the celebration he deserves on October 1st.”