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J.J. Watt finally began regaining the form last season that once had many calling him one of the greatest defenders in NFL history. The Houston Texans superstar had 61 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, and a career-best seven forced fumbles in 2018 en route to being named First Team All-Pro, his fifth such honor overall, but first since the 2015 season.
Those stellar numbers, to be clear, still fall a bit short of the gaudy statistics Watt put during his heyday, but are especially impressive nonetheless given what he had to overcome to achieve them. The 30-year-old played just eight total games between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, beset by injuries to his back and left leg that both required surgery.
There was a time not long ago when Watt's career was in jeopardy. Now, he's again established himself as one of the most disruptive defenders in the NFL, and health provided, there's no telling when he'll ultimately call it quits.
“I don’t want to leave the game anytime soon,” Watt said on Tuesday, per NFL Network's James Palmer. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.”
Watt also believes his two years away from the game, recovering from surgery, helped preserve his body because he wasn't subject to the rigors of professional football on a weekly basis.
The viability of that premise remains to be seen, but what's become abundantly clear is that Watt's time near the top of the game's individual hierarchy is far from over. Expect him to have another huge season in 2019, helping the Texans further cement themselves as a top-tier contender in the AFC.
