Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt didn’t think he would have to make the case in 2019, but he isn’t taking any chances in 2020.
The former 2011 first-round pick from Wisconsin made the case for his youngest brother, outside linebacker T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers, to be the 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
“He does everything unbelievably well,” Watt said. “He leads the league in sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hits. He can drop into coverage and cover guys. He’s disruptive in so many ways, and he’s on a team that has won the division and is doing extremely well.”
The youngest Watt has 15.0 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, and 41 quarterback hits, which as the Texans’ defensive end stated, lead the NFL.
Watt says he talked with his brother in the offseason about the prospect of taking home his first career NFL Defensive Player of the Year honor. Of course, the title is something Watt also sought, which is not surprising given how competitive the Watt family is with three brothers in the NFL, including Derek, who plays fullback for Pittsburgh.
“I mean, we’re a very competitive family,” said Watt. “We always have been ever since we were kids, whether it was mini-sticks in the basement or it was playing football in the front yard or whatever it was. We are extremely competitive. So, of course we’ve discussed it. We’ve talked about it.”
Watt says that his youngest brother has been “very respectful” of his three career NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards earned in 2012, 2014, and 2015.
Said Watt: “Early on he would try to fight it, but I think he’s been very respectful of it lately and I look forward to watching him for many years continuing trying to get to it. I still have a few more years left of me trying to increase the lead.”
Though Watt is not in the running for the award in 2020 as the Texans are finishing up a dismal season with a 4-11 record, he would be flabbergasted if his outside linebacker brother didn’t win it.
“He is more than deserving of Defensive Player of the Year and I would be stunned if he did not come home with one, which does remain two less than I have,” Watt said.