J.J. Watt tore his pectoral muscle on Oct. 27 shortly before halftime in a 27-24 win over the Oakland Raiders at NRG Stadium.
When it was discovered Watt sustained this injury, he presumed, along with the rest of the world, that his 2019 season had summarily ended. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year had his third season in the last four stopped short with a season-ending injury.
Watt was not formulating a comeback whatsoever.
“I didn’t even know that there was a possibility, and then literally a couple of days after the surgery I was feeling so good that I just started asking questions,” Watt told reporters Tuesday at NRG Stadium. “I said, ‘Is it remotely possible?’ We left the door open for a possibility and from there it was just literally day-by-day, just work, doing whatever I could do and we arrived to here.”
News that Watt could return to the Texans hit on Dec. 1, the same day they would take on the New England Patriots and prevail 28-22 on Sunday Night Football in Houston. The Texans still had their final return designation from injured reserve available in Week 13.
On Dec. 16, the Monday after the Texans beat the Tennessee Titans 20-17 at Nissan Stadium to take commanding lead of the AFC South, it started to build that Watt could have a legitimate shot at returning for the playoffs.
“I wouldn’t call it a difficult decision, no,” said Watt. “I mean I get a chance to play in the playoffs with my team and go out there and try and help us win football games. So to me, that’ll never be a difficult decision.”
Before his injury, Watt collected 24 tackles, 4.0 sacks, four tackles for loss, three pass breakups, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in his eight starts.
Said Watt: “There’s obviously an element of risk involved that I understand and we understand, but to me, the opportunity to play in the playoffs, the opportunity to try and help this team win football games, there’s nothing that I want more and there’s nothing that — it’s built into me, I just want to be on the field with the guys and I feel really good.
“We’ve worked extremely hard at rehab, we’ve had a very smooth process and everything has been going extremely well. So I’m really, really excited to get back on the field with everybody and to be back out there helping my team and playing for this city.”
The Texans face the Titans in a Week 17 rematch at NRG Stadium. Watt is not expected to play as the game has no material impact on the Texans’ chances to obtain a first-round bye; they are locked in to wild-card weekend, and will play a home game in the first round of the playoffs on either Jan. 4 or 5.