J.J. Watt To Play In Texans’ Preseason Opener

For the first time since they lost to the Patriots last January, the Houston Texans will face another football team. They travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to face the Carolina Panthers in Week One of the NFL Preseason on Wednesday.

Also for the first time in nearly eleven months, the team will have the services of All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt. Texans head coach Bill O’Brien on Saturday said that Watt will in fact play on Wednesday night.

When O'Brien was asked if defensive end J.J. Watt would play, he said, "Yeah."

“Everybody that's able to play in the game will play in the game," O'Brien said. "Obviously, we'll talk about it as a staff, how much everybody plays. You have injuries, so, 80-plus guys you have to get into the game (and) you need to evaluate."

After missing much of the 2016 season with a back injury, Watt has been working out during training camp without issue. He looks to further bolster a Texans defense that finished the 2016 season ranked No. 1.

It’s more than likely that Watt will only play the opening series, but it’ll still be quite a rush for Texans fans to see him back in action, even if only for a limited time in an exhibition environment.