The city of Houston has brighter days ahead of it, beginning with the start of the NFL regular season this Sunday.
The Texans will host the Week 1 clash against AFC South rivals the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium, wherein star defensive end J.J. Watt will make his long-awaited return after missing all but three games in 2016 due to a herniated disc.
From Watt's point of view, though, he's not the only reason for fans to be excited about the new season. Rather, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year awardee sees the Week 1 matchup in general as an event to uplift the local community.
Houston was the one major city in the United States where Hurricane Harvey hit the hardest. In the aftermath of the hurricane's tear, Watt took to arms and held a relief effort for the city, raising over $27 million in support of rehabilitations from the damage that's been dealt.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Watt was asked about his return to the gridiron. In true gentle giant form, the four-time Pro Bowl selection deflected all focus on him and instead placed it upon the game against the Jags as a special event for the city and people of Houston:
“It’s going to be special… This is so much bigger than a game, but for three hours on Sunday we want to take people’s minds off of everything that just happened. We want to give them an escape from everything that just happened. I know for a fact that our guys are going to give every single thing that we have to make sure we put a smile on this city’s face.”
There are plenty of reasons as for why Watt garners so much praise from fans and critics alike, but most of them are in relation to his on-field performances and statistics.
It's with his philanthropic efforts, though, that make the future Hall of Famer stand above the rest of the NFL pack. Not only has Watt delivered Super Bowl aspirations to Houston in his six years with the Texans, but he has also now literally provided tangible support to help the city get back to its former lively self.
Follow Us
Subscribe