J.J. Watt Making the Most Out of Wisconsin Homecoming

The Texans' J.J. Watt is enjoying his Green Bay training camp experience.

It has been 14 years since the Packers last welcomed another NFL team into their training camp for joint practices. The Houston Texans arrived this week to prepare for the teams’ first preseason game, and while the addition of “outsiders” into the team’s training camp practices has certainly added some excitement, it’s the homecoming story of JJ Watt that has been perhaps the most fun to watch unfold.

Watt, who grew up in Pewaukee (a suburb about 20 minutes west of Milwaukee in Waukesha County, for those of you who aren’t local) and starred for the University of Wisconsin, has maintained state sports hero status even though he has played for the Texans since his NFL career began in 2011.

For many of the fans in attendance at practices this week, the prospect of seeing JJ Watt could very well be just as exciting as the prospect of seeing Aaron Rodgers.

Watt, who has become one of the league’s ultimate “good guys” throughout his sterling career, has certainly not taken the opportunity to practice in his home state for granted.

“I’m very grateful for the reception and the way they treat me here,” he said. “The amount of love and support that they’ve shown me… it’s pretty cool. I literally dreamt about this as a kid.”

On Monday, Watt got to participate in the Dream Drive, and what was a childhood dream ended up having a rather comic twist.

Watt, who is 6’5 and about 290 pounds, broke the seat while riding the small bike owned by a five-year -old. He ended up borrowing another, larger bike, and promised to buy the five-year-old a new bike.

“It was pretty awesome until I broke the bike,” Watt laughed. “The bike that I was using was not equipped for a 290-pound man, and the seat broke off. I’ve purchased a new bike for the boy. I apologize for that.”

Watt also joked about ditching practice to go grab some cheese curds and Spotted Cow, further endearing himself to Wisconsinites everywhere.

It’s fun little moments like these that add an extra layer to bringing in another team for camp.

 

 

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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.

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Comments (5)

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Packer_Fan's picture

August 06, 2019 at 10:35 am

An outstanding person. Fame has not changed the kid from Wisconsin.

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Point-Packer's picture

August 06, 2019 at 10:37 am

Love to see him in the Green and Gold some day. One can dream.

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Lphill's picture

August 06, 2019 at 12:11 pm

we could have had a Watt in green and gold.

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Point-Packer's picture

August 06, 2019 at 12:28 pm

Oh right, but instead GB went with yet another Pac 12 china doll.

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BradHTX's picture

August 07, 2019 at 06:53 am

As a Milwaukee native and Houston resident, I can tell you that the admiration JJ has from us Wisconsinites is magnified 10x down here.

He’s the face of the franchise the way AR is for the Packers, and he is literally adored here. He’s all over television, doing pretty decently funny ads for HEB, a Texas grocery store chain. And the way he stepped up after hurricane Harvey a couple years ago, opening up his own coffers and working to raise money for victims, was really admirable.

So proud this quality human being is from our state. Hope that some day (if his body doesn’t fall apart first) if the Texans move on from him, we’ll have the privilege of seeing him in green and gold for a few years a la Julius Peppers.

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