J.J. Watt with touching message to Houston as Ring of Honor ceremony nears

J.J. Watt with a special touch before his Ring of Honor ceremony

J.J. Watt took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle as he prepares to be inducted into the Houston Texans’ Ring of Honor on Sunday.

The text could also be found on HoustonTexans.com. An excerpt:

From the first moment I stepped off that plane in Houston twelve years ago to this moment, as you’re reading this right now, all I’ve wanted to do is make you proud. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I knew it was going to take a lot of work. I knew I would have to put in the effort to earn your trust, to learn your history, to appreciate what makes this city so special.

Thankfully, I had an abundance of incredible people to help me do that. From teammates and coaches to trainers, equipment staff, cafeteria workers, Houston legends, athletes, artists, media members, restaurant workers and everyone in between.

We’ve been through a lot together. Some incredible highs and some horrific lows. But we always did it together.

Twelve years ago, when I stepped off that plane, I wasn’t entirely sure what lied ahead.

Today, every single time I step off a plane in Houston, I feel one thing…

Houston is Family.

Forever.