JJ Watt and his brother TJ made one of the best brother pairings to ever play in the NFL. When TJ was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2017, his older brother had an immediate message for him.
TJ Watt was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 30th pick in the 2017 NFL draft. Just like his brother, he’d played for the University of Wisconsin in the brothers’ home state.
JJ Watt’s message to his brother on draft night
JJ Watt was drafted 11th overall in 2011 and very quickly won the hearts of
NFL fans with his combination of elite defensive football and a standout personality. The Houston Texans star was one of the best players in the league to have been mic’d up, creating memorable moments both on and off the field.
By the time TJ entered the NFL draft in 2017, JJ had already been named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times. He had 20.5 sacks in his second season in 2012, winning the award for the first time, before matching that exact same career high figure two years later in 2014.
TJ was going to have a hard time living up to the standard set by his brother, but he was motivated to do so. When he finally heard his name called he was ready, and the Steelers were getting a hungry defensive end to add to their roster.
JJ Watt was clearly watching the draft, posting a message on Twitter the moment his brother’s name was called. Rather than congratulating him or sending a loving message, he simply said:
“Christmas Day is gonna be fun”
The Houston Texans were set to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Christmas Day game that year, but it didn’t quite work out.
Unfortunately for JJ, he never made it to play in the game. In Week 5, he suffered a season-ending fracture in his left leg, during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He was ruled out for the year, and the Texans crumbled to a 4-13 record without him.
The eventual Watt meeting on an NFL field
TJ Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers won that game 34-6, and the brothers would have to wait three more years before they finally got the chance to face each other in an NFL game.
It was September 27th, 2020, and the Pittsburgh Steelers won 28-21. TJ had a sack in the game, while JJ didn’t manage to get one, something that almost certainly comes up around the dinner table when the Watt family gets together.
Along with their brother Derek, who played fullback in the NFL for seven seasons, the Watts are one of the greatest football families in history.
TJ has a Defensive Player of the Year to his name now, having won the award in 2021, but he’ll need two more if he wants to match his brother.
