Former Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt was a player that most in the NFL dreaded lining up across from. But there was a duo that managed to frustrate Watts even on his best day: Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
During the week’s episode of the “Let’s Go! Podcast” with legendary sportscaster Jim Gray, Watt got the chance to tell the former New England Patriots coach personally exactly how he felt playing against one of the best dynasties in the league.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) shake hands after the game between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans on December 1, 2019 at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. (Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It’s really frustrating, especially when you’re going against a mind like coach [Belichick] and a quarterback like Tom because you can do whatever you want on our side — we’ll try and disguise things all week long,” Watt said.
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“We’re like, ‘All right, we’re gonna throw them this two-high and then rotate down to a single-high look.’ You do it and you think you’re brilliant. It’s like that little kid who thinks they’re fooling their parents and then at the last second their parents are like, ‘No, I know exactly what you’re doing.'”
Watt said regardless of how good his pass-rush was, Brady was just too fast to beat.
“Tom just comes up, he makes a check, he knows exactly where he wants to go to the ball and then fires it over there. And all you did all week is for nothing. And it’s frustrating and it’s so annoying, and then from my perspective as the defensive end, coach throws a chip my way, so I’ve gotta beat the tackle, I’ve gotta beat the chip. Lucky for me, I happen to beat them both on one play and guess what? Oh, Tom threw the ball in 1.7 seconds, so I couldn’t get there anyway. So, I had my best pass-rush of the day and it was all for naught, and that is the most frustrating part of all. And that’s what they did so well, is they just always knew how to negate the best player on the defense.”
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes under pressure from Houston Texans J.J. Watt during the first quarter at Reliant Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013. (Jessica Rinaldi for The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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Watt went on to compliment Belichick and Brady as “two of the best to ever do it,” and he only had one complaint to add about their time spent playing against one another during his 12-year-long career.
“I only wish I could say I beat them a little more.”
Watts spent the majority of his career with the Texans. During that time, the Patriots went 6-2 against the Texans with Houston winning their final two matchups.
Tom Brady #12 talks to head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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But the frustration appeared to be mutual. Belichick said he had to game plan on every play with a player like Watt.
“When you’re up for a Hall of Fame, you’ve got my vote.”
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