HOUSTON — "99 is coming home."
The Houston Texans teased an announcement last week and now we officially know for sure: J.J. Watt is being inducted to the Texans Ring of Honor.
The team released a video honoring the former Texans star and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Monday morning.
Watt announced his retirement toward the end of last season after spending two years with the Arizona Cardinals.
The star defensive lineman joins wide receiver Andre Johnson and late owner Robert C. McNair as the only members of the Ring of Honor.
Watt will be inducted during the team’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Oct. 1.
Watch the tribute video below:
Watt then released a message of his own saying, "Damn, am I proud to be a Texan."
The McNair family issued the following statement along with the announcement:
“We are so excited to have J.J. Watt join the Ring of Honor as our third member. Everybody knows how much J.J. means to our family, the Texans organization and the entire City of Houston. He is one of the most dominant players in NFL history and he created a unique and irreplaceable bond with our fans. J.J. has always kept a special place in Houston’s heart and we’re thrilled to welcome him back. On the behalf of the entire organization, we can’t wait to give J.J. and his family the celebration he deserves on October 1st.”
Last week, the Texans tweeted a cryptic message of "6.12.2023" and a graphic of a silhouette of a player. There were no other details provided, which led fans to speculate what it could be.
Watt was the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and spent 10 seasons with Houston (2011-20).
He is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year (2012, 14-15), five-time Pro Bowl selection (2012-15, 2018) and five-time First-Team All-Pro (2012-15, 2018).
Watt started in all 128 regular season games he played in, as well as seven of eight playoff games from 2011-2019. Additionally, Watt received six AFC Defensive Player of the Month awards and seven AFC Defensive Player of the Week awards with the Texans.
During his decade with the Texans, Watt set the franchise record for sacks and his 101.0 sacks were the second-most in the NFL during that span.
He also tallied 172 tackles for loss, the most in the NFL since TFLs became an official stat.
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year solidified his connection to the City of Houston by serving as an unwavering fixture of hope. Watt raised more than $41 million to support those impacted.
