Brotherly Bond: The Watts' NFL Journey Started With Basement Hockey and J.J.'s Blueprint

Staying humble, keeping their focus on the next step and fighting for best uncle. The Watt brother family reunion at Heinz Field has been a long time in the making.

PITTSBURGH -- On the field, J.J., Derek and T.J. Watt have always been compared. Football players from Pewaukee, Wisconsin who found their way to the NFL through similar but different paths. And come Sunday, they'll bring their family reunion to Heinz Field. 

When the winless Houston Texans and unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers kick off their Week 3 matchup, the Watt's brotherly love evaporates quickly. Instead, they'll be focused on continuing or finding success in the 2020 season. 

Leading up the week, the trash talk between brothers hasn't been very loud. A very loving group of brothers, the Watts, admitted their group chat between the three of them has stayed relatively dry as they prepare to play each other. 

"We're just hanging out, and nothing's really changed throughout the week," T.J. Watt said. "We just talk about what's going on in everyone's daily life—trying to stay connected. Derek's always sending pictures of Logan. J.J.'s always talking about how hot it is down in Houston. I always got nothing to talk about."

The Week 3 matchup brings different components for the Watt family. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Steelers aren't allowing fans into the stadium. Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Watt, the brother's parents, won't be able to attend the first meeting between all three of their boys. 

J.J. Watt joked throughout the week, saying T.J. and Derek should be able to pull some legs to help get their parents at the game, but the attempts in Pittsburgh were unsuccessful. 

"They'd be super excited to be able to come," Derek said. "It doesn't matter how late notice, as long as they can get here on time, they would drop everything to come. Somewhere, the coaches have been talking about how special it would be and that there's got to be some sort of exception they can make. They would've gladly got tested all week. At the end of the day, it's all about our safety, the whole team, keeping the whole season on track, and not putting that in jeopardy. They completely understand."

The game also has statistical importance for the Watts. Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is two sacks away from being the fourth player in NFL history to have 100 sacks in 115 games.

But his brothers aren't rooting for him. 

"That means we're not doing a real great on offense," Derek said.

"I think J.J.'s got enough hardware," T.J. followed. "He's not very shy of telling people he has those awards, especially me. So I think he doesn't need this one."

J.J., the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, has set the standard fairly high for his brothers. Four-years older than Derek and six-years older than T.J., the oldest Watt brother has found as much success as any defensive player in the NFL. 

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin pointed out that the Watt brothers come from a certain lineage that has guided them to the success they've found in football. 

"A lot can be benefited from being around this game at this level, and having those close to you have experience in that area. There's less unknowns when you come from the circumstances of [the Watt brothers]. They have a better perspective of the challenge that lays ahead," Tomlin said. "All of that allows them to work more efficiently, to be surprised less and to be better generally prepared from the neck up in terms of meeting the challenges. Your brother's exposure doesn't make plays for you, but it does educate you." 

That family guidance has never overstepped its boundaries, though. While J.J. Watt has created a roadmap for his brothers, he's never looked down or pushed them to become more than they wanted/could become. 

"He's been that role model for us since we were young and always set that standard, that bar, really high. It was special," Derek said. "We were there when he got drafted. We got to be in the building at some of those award ceremonies. Being there for him and seeing all the behind the scenes things that people don't notice. All the work he puts in, all the different sacrifices you have to make. We're proud of him."

"The coolest thing about J.J. is his openness to us," T.J. continued. "Truly being an open book in any aspect of life and that's what makes him a great older brother, and Derek as well. When I would sometimes feel pressure of having to fulfill [their shoes], I would just talk to Derek about it. That's why I love the relationships that we have. J.J.'s done such a great job of not forgetting where he came from and wanting to help us as much as he possibly can to not only be the best football players that we can be but to be the best young men that we can be."

The Watts credited their parents with their success; for ensuring, they were always active as children. Whether it was wrestling mats on their basement floor, indoor hockey games or joining forces with neighborhood kids to play backyard football, the three brothers were always staying involved somehow. 

"Our parents did an excellent job of making sure we were always outside of the house," T.J. said. " ... We'd play football, baseball. Whatever we were doing, we'd try to get as many kids in the community to come over to our house and play as many sports as we possibly could."

Throughout his career, T.J. and J.J. have reiterated that Derek was "the best" high school football player they've seen growing up. 

Both T.J. and Derek were three-star recruits leaving high school who signed with the University of Wisconsin. J.J. left high school as a two-star athlete who first played at Western Michigan before transferring to Wisconsin before becoming the 11th overall draft pick in 2011. 

Despite the potential all three had in high school, and J.J. earning his way into the first-round of the NFL draft the same year Derek graduated high school, there was never really a time the Watt brothers believed they would all be playing in the National Football League together. 

"We're so set on the next step. There hasn't really been an 'I want to be in the NFL,'" T.J. said. "J.J. always explains it perfectly. When we were in youth football, we just wanted to be on the varsity football team. And once you get to college, you want to have an opportunity to be on the roster and have a chance to suit up. And once that comes, you want to play. And once you play, you want to become a starter. We're so focused on the next step and not getting hammered by the ultimate goal. That's helped us in our success. J.J. and Derek have given the blueprint on how to do that."

Now, they're here. All three will walk onto the field on Sunday at 1 p.m. to play only the second game in the league history as a trio of brothers. 

Afterward, they'll focus on whether T.J. or J.J. will be Derek's son Logan's favorite uncle. But for 60 minutes, with their parents watching from home, the Watts will experience their first football game as a family. 

"More than anything, as we've grown in the NFL and we've had these opportunities to play each other and it hasn't really worked out, we're so fortunate that everybody's healthy and, knock on wood, we leave the game healthy," T.J. said. "That's first and foremost the most important thing."

Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.