J.J. Watt endorses Texans signing DE Danielle Hunter on social media

The Houston Texans’ former No. 99 sounds excited about the Texans’ newest No. 99.

J.J. Watt, who retired at the end of the 2022 season after 12 years in the NFL, quoted a post he wrote about Danielle Hunter soon after the Texans signed Hunter to a two-year, $49 million deal.

“Danielle Hunter deserves more credit than he gets,” Watt wrote on Oct. 26, 2023. “Currently leading the NFL in Sacks (sic). Currently leading the NFL in TFLs. Averaging 10 sacks a year since he came into the league. A consistent, solid player who is having a hell of a year.”

Watt’s quote simply read, “bump” with the “horns up” emoji.

bump.

https://t.co/uF4Mx5rDqe

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 12, 2024

A simple message with big meaning. While it’s unclear if Watt would be comfortable with Hunter taking over the mantle of No. 99 for the Texans, the former Houston legend sure sounded like he endorsed the move by general manager Nick Caserio.

Hunter is the type of defensive star the Texans haven’t really had since Watt left after the 2020 season.

Watt tallied 101 sacks and 282 quarterback hits during his 10 years and 128 games in Houston. Hunter, meanwhile, has 87.5 sacks and 134 quarterback hits in 119 games since 2015, although he opted out of the 2020 season because of the Covid-19 pandemic and played in just seven games in 2021.

It’s also a homecoming for Hunter, who went to high school in Katy, Texas, outside of Houston.

Now, Hunter will be paired with NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. to form an unrivaled pass-rushing duo on the edges. This is the defense head coach DeMeco Ryans always wanted in Houston — and one he had when he and Watt played together for the Texans for one season in 2011.

The next item on the agenda is to determine if Hunter will wear Watt’s No. 99 or perhaps switch back to the No. 94 he wore during college at LSU.