Watt determined to prove fitness on Texans return

Houston Texans star JJ Watt

JJ Watt is desperate to get back out on the field for the Houston Texans and prove that his injury woes are behind him.

The Texans defensive end has played just eight games over the past two seasons due to injury, having back surgery on a herniated disc in 2016 and then suffering a broken leg early last year.

But Watt is fit again and keen to prove it, knowing that no words will be good enough until he delivers on the field, starting against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

"I could tell people I'm feeling unbelievable, I could tell people I'm feeling terrible," he told a conference call. "They're not going to believe me and they're not going to care until I step on that field and prove it for real.

"Sunday's going to be a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to hitting the field and just playing the game, letting loose and having fun. We'll go from there.

"At the point I'm at now, it's been fun getting back into a regular routine. Unfortunately, I've had too much experience in the last two years with coming back and, early on in the rehab process, it's making sure you take it slow and do it the right way early on.

"I think that not pushing things too hard and not pushing it too far early was key. But now, it's just football.

"The biggest thing that I’ve learned over the last two years is taking everything one day at a time. That's what I do now. I realise that I can't change the future in one day and I can't change the past at all.

"All I do is focus on controlling what I can control and what I can control is today, my meetings, my practice today, trying to be the best I can be today.

"Obviously it sounds very cliche but, if the last two years have taught me anything, it's do what you can do today to put yourself in the best position for tomorrow."