HOUSTON – Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins and DE J.J. Watt were named to the 2016 NFL Pro Bowl, the NFL announced today. Houston will send Hopkins and Watt to Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii for the League's feature of the best players on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. This marks the 12th consecutive season that the Texans have had at least one player elected to the Pro Bowl.
Hopkins will be making his first trip to the Pro Bowl after emerging as one of the league's best receivers in 2015. He is currently ranked fourth in the NFL in both receiving yards (1,315) and receptions (97). He is also tied for seventh in the league in receiving touchdowns (10) and second in receiving first downs (74).
Hopkins became the third-youngest player in NFL history to reach 200 career receptions and 3,000 career receiving yards, behind only Larry Fitzgerald (23 years, 108 days) and David Boston (23 years, 126 days). He also became the first player in NFL history with at least nine catches and 145 receiving yards in three consecutive games (Weeks 4-6).
Additionally, the 23-year-old Hopkins broke numerous franchise records, including most receiving touchdowns in a single season and passed Andre Johnson for the most receptions (225) and receiving yards (3,327) for a player in his first three seasons in team history. Hopkins has five 100-yard receiving games this season and is averaging 13.6 yards per reception.
Watt is making his fourth-straight Pro Bowl appearance after putting together another dominant season on defense for the Texans. Watt passed Derrick Thomas (66.0) for the second-most career sacks in a player's first five seasons in NFL history and became the second-fastest player in NFL history to reach 70.0 sacks (Reggie White, 57 games).
Watt has 66 tackles, 13.5 sacks for 87.5 yards, 25 tackles for loss, 44 quarterback hits, five passes defensed and one forced fumble. He is currently the league leader in quarterback hits, tackles for loss and is tied for second in the league in sacks. For his career, Watt has 70.5 sacks, 203 quarterback hits, 128 tackles for loss, 11 fumble recoveries, 13 forced fumbles, and 42 passes defensed.
Watt, who was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, has five mutli-sack (2.0-or-more) games this season and 20 in his career, which is the second-most of any player in his first five seasons in NFL history. Watt also notched his fourth-straight season with 10.0-or-more sacks, which is the longest active streak in the NFL, and is the first Texan with four seasons of 10.0-or-more sacks.
Texans T Duane Brown was named an alternate.
The 2016 Pro Bowl teams will be determined through the Pro Bowl Draft. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin will serve as alumni captains, choosing the two rosters.
A collection of photos of J.J. Watt from the 2015 season.
Houston Texans in the Pro Bowl
*Player *
Pos
Season
Career Selections
DeAndre Hopkins
WR
2015
First
J.J. Watt
DE
2015
Fourth
Arian Foster
RB
2014
Fourth
J.J. Watt*
RB
2014
Third
Andre Johnson
WR
2013
Seventh
J.J. Watt
DE
2013
Second
Duane Brown
T
2012
First
Arian Foster
RB
2012
Third
Andre Johnson
WR
2012
Sixth
Johnathan Joseph
CB
2012
Second
Chris Myers
C
2012
Second
Matt Schaub
QB
2012
Second
Wade Smith
G
2012
First
J.J. Watt
DE
2012
First
Arian Foster
RB
2011
Second
Johnathan Joseph
CB
2011
First
Chris Myers
C
2011
First
Antonio Smith
DE
2011
First
Arian Foster
RB
2010
First
Andre Johnson
WR
2010
Fifth
Vonta Leach
FB
2010
First
Matt Schaub #
QB
2009
First
Brian Cushing
LB
2009
First
Andre Johnson
WR
2009
Fourth
DeMeco Ryans
LB
2009
Second
Mario Williams
DE
2009
Second
Owen Daniels
TE
2008
First
Andre Johnson
WR
2008
Third
Mario Williams
DE
2008
First
DeMeco Ryans
LB
2007
First
Andre Johnson
WR
2006
Second
Jerome Mathis
WR
2005
First
Andre Johnson
WR
2004
First
Aaron Glenn
CB
2002
Third
Gary Walker
DE
2002
Second
denotes Pro Bowl MVP
- denotes Pro Bowl Team Captain
A collection of DeAndre Hopkins photos from the 2015 season.
