Former Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt was included in the NFL’s Mount Rushmore for all-time Houston Texans last week.
The 10-year Texan earned a spot alongside former All-Pros Duane Brown (LT) and DeAndre Hopkins (WR) and 2024 Hall of Famer Andre Johnson (WR). Unlike other longstanding NFL franchises, the Texans’ first season was in 2002, which naturally invites a younger generation of players into the franchise’s upper echelon.
In three years as a Badger, Watt was a Lott IMPACT Trophy winner, team MVP and consensus first-team All-Big Ten team member at defensive end. As a senior, he also led his squad in TFLs, sacks, quarterback hurries, forced fumbles and blocked kicks.
He finished his collegiate tenure third all-time in UW history with four career blocked kicks, something he would implement well as an elite NFL defender.
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The Houston Texans selected the Pewaukee, Wisconsin native with the 11th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. Watt made an early impression and immediately wreaked havoc on opposing offenses as an edge rusher.
The 6-foot-6, 288-pounder recorded a league-high 20.5 sacks and 39 TFLs en route to his first career AP Defensive Player of the Year Award in only his second NFL season.
Watt ultimately reeled in three Defensive Player of the Year awards, five All-Pro selections and a spot on the Hall of Fame All-2010s Team as a professional.
The former Badger hung up his cleats in 2022 after the second of his two seasons in Arizona. He and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady will be locks for Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027.