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Houston Texans' J.J. Watt shows rehab progress in video, runs for first time since leg injury

By The Sports Xchange
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) plays catch with the fans in the stands prior to the Texans-Chiefs NFL Wild Card Round game at NRG Stadium on January 9, 2016 in Houston. File photo by Erik Williams/UPI
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) plays catch with the fans in the stands prior to the Texans-Chiefs NFL Wild Card Round game at NRG Stadium on January 9, 2016 in Houston. File photo by Erik Williams/UPI | License Photo

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt took a huge step forward in his rehab from a broken leg on Thursday.

Watt posted a video on Twitter of him running on a treadmill, flashing two thumbs up at the end. It was his first time running since fracturing the tibial plateau in his left leg in Week 5 of the season.

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"BIGGGG DAYYY!!!! Progress!!!!!" Watt wrote in a caption accompanying the video.

The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Watt has had each of his last two seasons derailed by injury, appearing in only eight of Houston's 32 games.

"I'm great. I'm doing really well, very pleased with the progress," Watt told the Texans' official website. "I look at it one of two ways. You can either sulk, you can whine, you can complain, or you can move forward and you can have optimism and you can move forward with excitement -- and that's what I'm doing."

Watt never missed a game in his first five seasons while registering 74.5 of his 76 career sacks and earning NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times.

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However, he was limited to three games in 2016 due to a back injury and had just 15 tackles and zero sacks this past season before breaking his leg. That's made Watt more eager to get back on the field.

"I'm very excited about the future. Obviously been injured the last two years and disappointed by it, but not going to let it define who I am and what I'm about," Watt said. "So, very, very excited coming out, and looking forward to getting back to being even better than I was before."

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