"J.J. Watt wasn't fun" - Tom Brady name drops the Texans icon in eye-opening list of the scariest NFL defenders
Although legendary quarterback Tom Brady arguably had a better NFL career than any other player in the league's history. the seven-time Super Bowl winner also endured several hits from formidable defensive players throughout his 23-year career.
Brady, who hung up his cleats following the 2022 NFL season, admitted that there were a number of defenders he particularly didn't like getting hit by while he was still playing in the NFL during an appearance on Logan Paul's "IMPAULSIVE" podcast on Wednesday.
When asked which players he was most scared of being hit by, Brady named J.J. Watt, a 12-season NFL defensive end, as one of the four guys.
"J.J. Watt wasn’t very fun to get hit by," Brady said.
It makes perfect sense that Watt was mentioned by Tom Brady as a player he didn't like being trucked over by. Watt was a dominant force on the field thanks to his aggressive play style and physical presence during his career.
The Houston Texans selected Watt with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played in Houston before leaving to spend the final two years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals. Watt won three Defensive Player of the Year awards during his career in the league.
Watt's ability to consistently create turnovers made him the focal point of the Texans when he was healthy enough to play. He forced 27 fumbles over his career.
It's difficult to think of many players who were as intimidating as the strong and explosive defensive star during his NFL career, even though he suffered greatly from injuries in the latter half of his career.
Tom Brady lists three other players he didn't like coming up against in his career
Tom Brady also lists linebacker Ray Lewis, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata as three other players he didn't like getting tackled by when he played in the league for both the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Ray Lewis was at the top. Ndamukong Suh, I didn’t like getting hit by him," Tom Brady told Logan Paul while talking on the "IMPAULSIVE" podcast. "Haloti Ngata, you remember him? He was about 340 pounds for the Ravens. He was massive."
Both Lewis and Ngata were pillars of a staunch Baltimore Ravens defense during Brady's tenure with the Patriots. Ngata received five All-Pro selections during his time with the Ravens, while Lewis, who earned a pair of NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards during his career, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
During his 13 NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Buccaneers (where he played with Brady for two years), and Philadelphia Eagles, Suh also earned three All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl nods.