Houston Texans' Legend J.J. Watt Wishes He Could Have Worn Oilers Throwback Jerseys

Houston Texans icon J.J. Watt will have mixed feelings when he sees the Tennessee Titans wearing Oilers throwback uniforms in Week 8.

Houston Texans icon J.J. Watt thinks that the Tennessee Titans will look great when they wear Oilers throwback uniforms in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons. But he also wonders whether they are the appropriate franchise to be sporting the iconic threads. 

The #Titans will be bringing back their Houston Oilers throwback uniforms for two games this season.

These are gorgeous. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XGU2So1VpL

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 24, 2023

The Oilers, of course, called Houston home from 1960-1996, before relocating to Nashville. For their first two seasons in Tennessee, the franchise kept the name Oilers. They rebranded to Titans in 1999. Technically speaking, the Titans own the history of the Oilers. 

But Watt -- who spent the bulk of his career with the Texans, the expansion franchise Houston was granted in 2002 -- suggested in an appearance on Pat McAfee's show that Nashville isn't really the city to which that history belongs. 

"I will say this, the Oilers uniforms look phenomenal. There was never a question if they were going to look phenomenal -- they look incredible," Watt said. "They are one of the best uniforms in sports. 

"Obviously, being from Houston -- we've talked about this before and I know Tennessee fans are going to be all up in my mentions again -- but the reality of the situation, and I'll explain it one last time, is I lived and played in Houston," Watt continued. "I wanted to wear those uniforms very badly. They have such a massive history and tradition with Luv Ya Blue, with Bum Phillips, with everything that went on there." 

Houston Texans legend J.J. Watt doesn't believe the Tennessee Titans should wear Houston Oilers throwback uniforms.  / USA Today

Watt went on to say that he has no ill will towards Amy Adams Strunk, the owner of the Titans, or the city of Nashville. But it doesn't sit right with him that a city other than Houston is the one who gets to pay homage to the Oilers. 

"I just know, having lived in Houston for 10 years and the people there and the connection that they have to Earl Campbell, to Warren Moon, to these guys that wore those, to Billy "White Shoes" [Johnson]," Watt said. "These guys that wore those uniforms and what that meant when they played at the Astrodome. It hurts to not have been able to wear those in Houston and it hurts to see them being worn somewhere else."

Sunday will mark the first time since 1998 that the Oilers uniforms have been worn in an NFL game. Perhaps more insulting to the city of Houston is that the Titans plan to wear the Oilers throwbacks a second time this season -- on Dec. 17 against the Texans.