Sports
JJ Watt
J.J. Watt became the face of Houston football through three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, franchise sack records and a Hurricane Harvey relief campaign that raised more than $41 million.
- Roster rank
- #123
- Category
- Sports
- Subject type
- Person
- Profile source
- Published Texas Icons profile
Texas story
Life and career
J.J. Watt was born in Wisconsin and played college football there before Houston selected him 11th overall in 2011. Over ten Texans seasons he became a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the franchise's defining defensive player.
Watt's Houston legacy also extends beyond football. After Hurricane Harvey he helped raise more than $41 million for relief and later received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. He finished his playing career with Arizona and entered the Texans Ring of Honor in 2023.
Defining work
What to know
- three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards
- Texans franchise sack record
- Hurricane Harvey relief campaign
- 2023 Texans Ring of Honor
Timeline
Key milestones
- 2011Drafted 11th overall by Houston.
- 2012Wins first NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
- 2017Leads Hurricane Harvey fundraising and receives Walter Payton Man of the Year honors.
- 2023Inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor.
Texas connections
Places in the story
Houston
Texans home and center of his community legacy.
Home field for his Texans career and Ring of Honor induction.
Legacy
Why the story lasts
Watt's peak defensive seasons made him one of the most dominant players in Texans history.
His Harvey relief work created a civic connection to Houston that outlasted his playing tenure.
Sources
Research trail
Cross-linked profiles