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Kliff Kingsbury Likens J.J. Watt to Captain America, Mr. Incredible

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said everyone in the room straightened up when J.J. Watt entered.

Alex Weiner

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There are few NFL players who resemble Mr. Incredible from Pixar's The Incredibles like Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt. The upper bodies of both are impressively massive, although Watt has Mr. Incredible beat in leg size. 

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury went on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, as he is in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. Watt came up in conversation, and Kingsbury said the veteran was "crushing weights" at the team facility a day after Arizona's 34-11 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. 

Following Watt's first season in Arizona, Kingsbury had some colorful comparisons. 

"It's literally like Captain America is in the building," Kingsbury said. "It's like Mr. Incredible walks around. Everybody straightens up when J.J. is there.

"Like a day after our playoff loss, he's in there crushing the weights, he's in the hot tub at 5:30 a.m., he stays until noon, it's insane, the drive in insane."

This, of course, occurred after Watt's expedited return from shoulder surgery. He went down in Week 7 after trying to make a tackle and missed the rest of the regular season. 

Kingsbury told McAfee, and Watt previously said himself, that many doctors told him returning was not possible, but he stayed ready through conditioning and took the field against L.A. 

Perhaps he has some of Captain America's healing ability. 

Kingsbury gave reporters an update on Watt's condition on Tuesday. 

"He's almost back to full strength it looks like, so I expect him to be 100%," Kingsbury said. 

Soon after Kingsbury's appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Watt posted a video on Twitter yelling "Strength Coach of the Year" as the 2021 award recipient Buddy Morris waved him off.

Watt was fittingly at the Cardinals' training facility. 

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Alex Weiner
ALEX WEINER