J.J. Watt once voiced his regret over Deshaun Watson’s career during Texans' struggles: "We wasted one of your years"

In January 2021, J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson walked off the field as members of the Houston Texans for what turned out to be the final time. The Texans had a 4-12 record in the 2020 season, and NFL Films captured a touching moment between the defensive end and quarterback.

Watson walked up to Watt as they made their way off the field at NRG Stadium. Watt apologized to Watson for "wasting" one of his years as he was in the prime of his career.

"Good job, brother," Watt said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We wasted one of your years. I'm sorry. I mean, we should have 11 wins. "So if you can't go out there, and you can't work out, you can't show up on time, you can't practice, you can't want to go out there and win, you shouldn't be here. Because this (is) a privilege, it's the greatest job in the world, you get (to) go out and play a game.

"Good job, brother. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We wasted one of your years. I'm sorry. I mean, we should have 11 wins. "So if you can't go out there, and you can't work out, you can't show up on time, you can't practice, you can't want to go out there and win, you shouldn't be here... Because this a privilege, it's the greatest job in the world, you get go out and play a game."

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Watt went on to sign with the Arizona Cardinals just two months later, officially ending his tenure with Houston. Watson also did not take the field for the Texans again after requesting a trade and was investigated by the NFL for assault.

J.J. Watt 'loved Houston' but there was another NFL team he would have enjoyed playing for

J.J. Watt spent 10 seasons with the Houston Texans, and even though he left in 2021, he still has love for the city and its fans.

The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year appeared on the "Stick to Football" podcast in April 2024 and spoke about his time in Houston.

"I loved being in Houston," Watt said. "The people were unbelievable to me, it was great."

Watt also mentioned that having been born and raised in Wisconsin, he always wondered what it would be like to play for the Green Bay Packers.

"(The Packers are) a community owned team, it's a small town, so that's one that always would have been really cool," Watt said.

Watt was drafted by the Texans at No. 11 in 2011.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

Know More

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez