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Wisconsin Football: J.J. Watt needs to be saved from Houston

By Christian Borman

Oct 25, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) reacts after making a tackle of Green Bay Packers running back Jamaal Williams (30) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) reacts after making a tackle of Green Bay Packers running back Jamaal Williams (30) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former Wisconsin football player J.J. Watt needs a change of scenery.

We all know the story of Wisconsin football legend, J.J. Watt. He transferred from Central Michigan to walk-on with Wisconsin. His work ethic and determination paved the way for a very successful career as a Badger.

He left Madison a year early to enter the NFL Draft in 2011, where he was picked by the Houston Texans. When he was selected, he was met with disapproving boos by the Houston fan base. Watt used those boos as motivation. He became one of the league’s best defensive players, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times, and was named to the NFL’s All-Pro team five times.

During his time in Houston, Watt has been a force, but the Texans have never truly been contenders. They’ve won the division six times, but have failed to advance beyond the divisional round in the AFC.

This season has been a complete letdown for Houston. A team that was picked to contend for the AFC South division, has just one win. Frustration within the team started to reach a tipping point when a ‘verbal blowup’ occurred in practice between Watt and head coach Bill O’Brien. A couple of weeks later, the Texans fired O’Brien after the team’s 0-4 start.

Watt said he was looking forward to a fresh start. Since O’Brien’s firing, the Texans have gone 1-2, bringing their record to 1-6 on the season. During their game with the Packers, you could tell Watt was visibly frustrated. He made a big stop on a 3rd down and while his teammates celebrated around him, he just walked off the field. During his post-game press conference, you could tell he was just done.

Before this week, reports leaked out that the Texans were looking to make trade some players, specifically their receivers. Although the former Wisconsin football star has been named in a few rumors, you have to wonder if the Texans would consider trading Watt. He is 31 years old and has an injury history. He is also owed $17.5 million next season, where the cap is possibly going to drop because of the pandemic. That would make trading him a lot harder. So it seems the Texans could be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Watt is too professional to demand a trade from Houston, but it is painfully obvious he is unhappy with his situation.