With two years remaining on his current contract, Houston Texans pass rusher J.J. Watt has said that he will not ask the Texans for a contract extension this offseason, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Watt, who has no guaranteed money left on his existing contract, wants to prove what he's worth with his play on the field in 2020. A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Watt returned for the playoffs last season after missing the second half of the 2019 regular season with a pectoral injury.
"No, I don't think that's necessary," Watt said when asked if he will ask the Texans for an extension. "I'm not going to sit here and demand anything. If I asked for an extension or money right now, I think that would be the wrong move."
It's been an interesting offseason for the Texans, who traded away All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson and draft picks. Reports later surfaced that the reasoning behind trading Hopkins had to do with tensions between the receiver and Houston head coach Bill O'Brien. Watt addressed the backlash his coach has faced from the team's fanbase following the decision to trade Hopkins.
"In terms of Internet and fans, I see everything," Watt said. "My head isn't in the sand. We have to win. Winning cures everything. The goal is to bring this city a championship. I want all the fans to be with us moving toward that."
Watt, who has two years left on a six-year deal worth just over $100 million, would be 33 years old when his current contract expires. While that's usually the downside of a defensive end's career, Watt's dedication to training and staying in shape may allow him to continue to be a dominant force well into his 30s. Watt, who is just two years removed from recording 16 sacks in a season, said that he has fully recovered from his pectoral injury.
There's also the possibility of the Texans trading Watt before his contract expires, possibly after the 2021 season. While trading Watt -- the best player in franchise history -- seems unlikely, O'Brien's decision to trade Hopkins makes the possibility of Watt one day being traded that much more plausible.
While he said nothing to suggest that he has a desire to leave the Texans, Watt's decision not to pursue an extension will likely draw the attention of NFL general managers who may begin to try to free up cap space in order to sign Watt in the future. One of those teams could be the Steelers, who already have two of the three Watt brothers -- linebacker T.J. Watt and fullback Derek Watt -- on their roster. Derek Watt, who signed a two-year deal with the Steelers earlier this offseason, opened up about the possibility of playing with both of brothers at some point during their NFL careers. All three Watt brothers will be on the same field when Pittsburgh hosts Houston in Week 3.
"It would be something incredibly special for my family if we could all three, somehow, some way get together on the field in the same uniform," Watt said, via ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
For now, Watt said that he has been focused on his conditioning as he prepares for the 2020 campaign. His primary focus is on helping Houston reach the Super Bowl after he and his teammates fell two games short of that goal in 2019.
"My goal for every season is the same to do whatever is possible to help the team win," he said. "No. 1, that means staying healthy and playing at my peak physical level."
