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The 2015 season ended not only with a Hoyerible quarterback performance, but with J.J. Watt laying on the ground in pain as if he was a mortal man who could feel things and not the football universe-destroying deity we know him to be. The reason for it was a groin injury. And shortly after the season ended, he was cut open so it could be repaired.
That was just one of a few injuries he played through in 2015. He broke his hand in practice and played with THE CLUB. But as fun as it way to say, it limited his ability to rush the passer, which wasn't very fun. And in a recent interview on 610, Watt said he played through a herniated disk in his back.
"Last year, was definitely by far the most strenuous on my body that I’ve ever had, fighting through a bunch of things that I’ve never dealt with before," Watt told the Triple Threat. "We had the broken hand. I had a herniated disk in my back halfway through the year. I had, obviously, everything that went on with my groins and I don’t think everyone fully understand what that proccess was like."
I don't know how you do yard work with a herniated disk, let alone play football, let alone play professional football, let alone play professional football at a very high level. But J.J. Watt did.
The thing that is very scary about this is that Watt is 27 years old. He's entering his sixth year in the NFL, played 4,262 snaps the past four seasons, has never missed a game, and is coming off a season that was the most strenuous on his body. So far he's been able to be Frankenstein and play through the pain without missing time. However, as time goes on and as the body breaks down even more, he may actually end up missing a football game.
Now, this could lead to a discussion about how the most difficult thing about being a football fan is that the incredible athletes are flashes across the sky, and their peak is tied to a four year burst of dominance, unlike other sports, where top play and longevity go hand in hand, or the fear of a Wattless Texans' defense.
But that's a worry for the future. Right now, J.J. Watt is slowly getting his health bar back to 100% in preparation for the 2016 season.
"I’m doing pretty darn well," Watt said. "I feel really good. I’m back to full-fledged training. Obviously, I’m working to get back to my 100% tip-top shape. I am back to my full workouts, I’m back to everything. So now it’s just building back to what I was and going above and beyond that, which I will be at by the first game of the season."