Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt tore his pectoral muscle on Oct. 27 in a 27-24 win over the Oakland Raiders. The injury is one that is season-ending; ask outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus.
However, Watt never let the reality of the injury nor the negativity of having a third season of the last four end in injury affect his attempt at a comeback for the playoffs.
“I’m a much different person mentally now than when I came into the league,” Watt told reporters Tuesday. “So you learn from things and you grow from things. You don’t let it get you down. I think that’s played a huge part in this one, just the positive attitude, positive people around me. Surrounding yourself with people who will lift you up in difficult times and will propel you towards the goals you want to achieve. I think that I’ve had that the whole time.”
However, it wasn’t just positive words from his fiancée Kealia Ohai, his family, or his teammates that helped him believe in the comeback. Watt also had to give himself positive words to generate the belief that he could execute a return for the postseason.
“Positive self-talk can make such a difference in your life and I think that’s helped me a lot throughout these injuries, and this one especially,” said Watt. “Just the belief that you can accomplish something really does make a difference and you kind of manifest it into reality and I think that’s definitely helped in this case.”
The Texans could use a case of that positive self-talk as they embark on a playoff run that will begin in the wild-card round. Since 1990, just 28 of the 116 wild-card round winners ended up winning in the divisional round of the playoffs, let alone making the Super Bowl. However, getting Watt back might be the catalyst Houston needs to make such an improbable journey.