(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The Houston Texans have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2023 NFL season.
Despite a youthful roster and coaching staff, Houston sits on the precipice of a playoff berth less than a year after the Texans finished with the No. 2 overall pick.
That excitement has bubbled over for longtime NFL defensive end J.J. Watt, who played 10 years for the Texans before he retired in 2022 after two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
Watt, who won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards in Houston, couldn’t be more excited about his former team.
“They have such a young core and it’s awesome to see,” Watt said Wednesday on the Pat McAfee Show. “… Really, really exciting stuff happening in Houston and I think it’s going to be exciting for a long time.”
“The Texans have such a young core and it’s awesome to see..
Matt Burke is doing some incredible things with that defense and you see that team growing in confidence as the season goes on”@JJWatt #PMSLive #WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/UEJLwFnJ8g
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 6, 2023
Watt specifically mentioned the Texans’ four core pieces: Quarterback C.J. Stroud, wide receiver Tank Dell, edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
Stroud, Dell, and Anderson were all drafted this past spring, while Stingley Jr. was the team’s first-round pick in 2022.
All four have been major reasons why the Texans are making a playoff push at 7-5.
Stroud leads the NFL in passing yards, Dell ranked second in receiving yards among rookies prior to his season-ending injury, Anderson Jr. ranks second in sacks among rookies and Stingley Jr. is tied for fourth among all players with four interceptions.
This group is certainly impressive, but Watt added that it means first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans should win NFL Coach of the Year.
Ryans certainly has a stake to that claim if the Texans continue to rise up the NFL ranks.
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