J.J. Watt has reached another milestone, entering the golden pages of Houston history. The former defensive end has been inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026, inviting well-wishers to send him some hearty congratulations.
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“One of a kind. Congrats [J.J. Watt],” the Texans wrote in the caption of the Instagram post as they announced the big news with a celebratory picture of the defensive end.
Watt spent 10 years with the Texans and played 128 regular-season games. Through these years, he recorded 101 sacks and 531 combined tackles, along with two interceptions and 25 forced fumbles. For ten years, Watt was an anchor in the Texans’ defensive line.
Who knew all those years ago that Watt, who used to deliver pizzas in Wisconsin, would go on to have a career this historic? Surely down the line, fans can expect to see Watt in a golden jacket.
“J.J. Watt represents everything that makes Houston sports special: excellence, toughness, heart, and an unwavering commitment to this community,” CEO of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation, Ryan Walsh, said. “From the moment he arrived as a young player from Wisconsin, J.J. embraced Houston and Houston embraced him.
“He often says this city became family to him, and that bond was evident in everything he did — on the field, in the locker room, and across the community. His legacy extends far beyond statistics. It lives in the culture he helped build and the way he showed up for Houston when it mattered most.”
“I would say like fifth grade playing ball behind the bleachers while the varsity played with my friends pretending to be on the varsity field, just hoping to one day get a chance to be a Pewaukee pirate now to be here doing things like this in a city like Houston, I mean like there are moments where it hits you, that it’s crazy,” he told the press at the induction ceremony, via KHOU 11. “It’s surreal and yeah, I mean when you put it like that, it’s pretty nuts and I’m very grateful.”
Soon after the Texans shared the news on Instagram, fans swooped into the comments section with congratulations. Meanwhile, many fans lined up to deem him as “the 🐐.”
“One of the greatest to ever do it,” one fan wrote. “He deserves it, fr!” another fan added. “What a goat,” one more fan commented.
“His prime was a sight to see,” a fan noted. “Everything & some you want in a football player. A beast on the field & bags & bags of class off it. Well deserved & one of the very best to ever do it 👏”
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner ended his NFL career after the 2022 season. After spending 10 years in Houston, Watt played two seasons for the Arizona Cardinals before hanging up his cleats. And people miss him even today.
“We miss you everyday 😭,” a fan wrote.
Now, Watt’s staggering sack records will be immortalized in the Houston Sports Hall of Fame, and his legacy will live on forever.