HOUSTON – When asked repeatedly about possibly being the NFL MVP during the season, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt always says that isn't up for him to decide.
In 2014, he did all he could on the field to give himself a shot.
In Sunday's season finale against Jacksonville, Watt totaled 3 sacks to become the first defensive player in NFL history to record 20 sacks in two separate seasons.
It was the exclamation point on a season that has left many wondering whether or not a defensive player will once again earn the league's top individual award.
"After a performance like that and a year like he's had, if he don't get the MVP, I don't think any year a defensive player should ever be capable of getting it," Texans corner Johnathan Joseph said after the game on Sunday.
Wide receiver Andre Johnson agrees.
"If he doesn't win the MVP, the NFL is out of their mind," Johnson said.
In 2014, Watt's numbers looked like this:
78 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 29 TFL, 50 QB hits, 4 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 10 pass deflections, 1 INT, 1 safety, 3 receiving TDs, 5 TDs, 1 blocked extra point and 32 points scored.
But even with those numbers, Watt steered clear of calling this the best season of his career.
"That's mainly for everybody else to discuss. You all can write about it. People can talk about it on TV. My goal is just to go out there and do whatever I can and so people can judge it how they want," Watt said. "My big thing is, I just, you work hard for the respect of your teammates and coaches and other players around the league and guys who have done it before, so to be honest, and my family. I want to make my family proud. Those are really, mainly the only opinions I care about."
Watt may want to add Texans fans to that list of opinions he cares about. As he punctuated a tremendous 2014 season, chants of "MVP" were heard throughout NRG Stadium.
"It's pretty special. As an athlete, I think that's one of the coolest things of all time, to have a stadium chant for you or whatever. I can't say enough about our fans and I've only been here for four years," Watt said. "For them to show me so much love and appreciation, it's unreal and I appreciate them so much and I have to say thank you to them because they make what I do a blast."
"I am so grateful for our fans, I mean, to hear chants like that, you know, like I said before about some other thing, if you would've told 10-year-old me that, he would've been pretty darn excited, so it was cool."
Head coach Bill O'Brien also had praise for his star defensive end.
"I haven't been around long enough to say if he's the best of all time and all those things, but I can tell you in my time in the league, I've never seen a defensive player like him that affects the play on every play," O'Brien said. "On top of that, I think he's a great teammate. He's a great person in the community and his work ethic is second to none and he's a great example to young players."
Watt's great season comes on the heels of signing a new 6-year, $100 million dollar contract. While some players take a step back after getting big money, #99 saw that as a motivation.
"They gave me a hundred million. I'm trying to give them a hundred million's worth," Watt said. "Whatever that is, offense, defense, special teams, however I can, I'm trying to make sure that they get their money's worth and our fans get their money's worth because they deserve that."
"I was a kid once, I grew up watching the team, I know what it's like. You want to be that superstar that every average Joe would be if he was a superstar," Watt said. "When you get paid, you want to go out there and play like you deserve the contract that you got. You want to act a certain way. I grew up idolizing guys, not necessarily idolizing guys, but watching how they act and everything. I'm just trying to be the best person and player that I can be because I feel like I want to do what every fan would do if they were in my shoes."
The MVP Award will be announced on January 31.
