“He was a badass”: JJ Watt praises Andre Johnson after Texans legend gets inducted to Pro Football Hall of Fame

J.J. Watt might have to wait a little bit longer for his day in Canton, as the three-time Defensive Player of the Year watches former teammate Andre Johnson get his name enshrined as a member of the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. It’s only fitting that Johnson becomes the first Texans player to get inducted into the Hall of Fame, based upon the legacy he has left during his playing years from 2003-2014. The 43-year-old was instrumental in turning the Texans from a lackluster franchise to regular playoff contenders.

Remembering those days, J.J. Watt shared his thoughts with Aaron Wilson and a group of Houston reporters saying, “It’s incredible, Andre deserves it. Such a special weekend, such a special honor.” While giving his insight, Watt also added, “Consummate professional. Blueprint for how to be a professional athlete. A damn good friend and a damn good person. He was a badass.” Although Johnson was a soft-spoken and humble guy, there was a time when he allowed his inner badass to take over.

Remember Johnson’s epic clash with Tennessee Titans CB Cortland Finnegan that turned out to be a massive brawl? The Texans star showed his fans that he might be a man of few words but if it came to a dual on the gridiron, he would not think twice before standing up for himself and his teammates.

Watt was the one who took over the locker room after Johnson’s departure in 2014 and the five-time Pro Bowler acknowledged Johnson’s influence on the team. “If Andre whispered, the whole locker room shut the hell up and listened. That’s what he means. That’s who he is. He led by example 99 percent of the time, but the times he spoke you listened,” the veteran defensive end said.

During his 12 seasons for Houston, Johnson was busy amassing several receiving yards records to his name. He racked up 1,012 receptions for 13,597 yards and 64 TDs. He also recorded fifty-one 100-yard games, a record that still stands to this day. Therefore, calling him the best WR ever to grace the Texans’ outfit isn’t an overstatement. But how did Johnson pull off a Hall of Fame career out of a franchise that was doomed to fail since its expansion into the NFL?

Tracing Andre Johnson’s path from Houston Texans to Hall of Fame podium

Then GM Charlie Casserly was the one who decided to draft Johnson out of the University of Miami. Whatever happened after that was magical, to say the least for the budding Houston franchise and Johnson’s NFL career. “I would like to thank the McNair family for taking a chance on a young man from Miami and helping me to live out my dream,” the legendary WR said, recalling those old days.

Cal McNair also had a few thoughts to share about this incredible achievement of Johnson. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving to be the Texans’ first Hall of Fame inductee than Andre Johnson,” the Texans owner said. Moreover, McNair pointed out Johnson’s unparalleled passing and intensity every time he took the field. His impact on the Houston community will always be remembered in NFL history.

For the first few seasons, Johnson played under HC Dom Capers. But it was not until Gary Kubiak took over in 2006 that he truly flourished. Kubiak’s impact was so evident that Johnson wanted the former Texans HC to present him with the Hall of Fame honor on Saturday. Remembering those days under Kubiak, the veteran said, “I give coach Kubiak a lot of credit because I guess there was just something that he saw in me as a player, and it helped elevate my game. It helped take my game to another level.”

Kubiak didn’t just unlock Johnson’s potential, but he unraveled a beast in the NFL during that time, as Johnson went on to lead the NFL receiving yards chart with 1,575 yards and 1,569 yards in consecutive seasons. After going down in history as the greatest Texans player of all time, Johnson left the Houston outfit to play the following two seasons for the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. Later on, he signed a one-day contract with the Texans to bid farewell and hang up his boots for the team that made his NFL dream come true.