After a two-month hiatus following a season-ending back surgery, J.J. Watt returned to NRG Stadium.
"He's in the building today," head coach Bill O'Brien said Tuesday. "He's in good spirits and working hard to be better than ever in 2017."
Watt won't return for the 2016 season as he rehabs from his third major surgery in the past year. O'Brien was asked about the three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year after Watt's essay titled, "Am I Done?" appeared Tuesday on The Players Tribune website.
In his words, Watt described time away from football and revealed that, in addition to the injuries, he also was diagnosed with a staph infection last season. The staph infection could have potentially led to the loss of his leg had it not been diagnosed early by a team trainer, according to Watt.
Watt, who spent the past few months recovering in his hometown of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, discussed whether or not the injuries would keep him from returning to football.
"I've experienced the highs, and I've experienced the lows, and both are better than living in the middle," Watt wrote. "The kid in me is back. Am I done? Hell no. I'm just getting started."
In 2016, Watt tied for a team-high three quarterback hits in Week 1 against Chicago after spending the entire preseason on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list. In Week 2, he recorded a sack against Kansas City in his third straight regular season game and finished with five tackles, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery. On Sept. 28, Watt was placed on season-ending injured reserve, breaking his streak of 83 consecutive NFL starts.
To read the full essay by Watt, click here.
J.J. Watt--from his time as a Texan back to his Wisconsin Badger days--is featured here in photos.
