JJ Watt revisits when Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were early donors to $41.6 million Hurricane Harvey relief fund
Former NFL star DE J.J. Watt revisited a kind gesture former New England Patriots tandem Tom Brady and Bill Belichick had in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. As the Houston Texans legend joined Jim Gray and Belichick on the "Let's Go!" show, when discussing the death of Dikembe Mutombo on Monday, Watt said he was inspired by the NBA star's efforts to help others.
Watt said that when he started a fundraiser for Harvey's victims, Belichick and Brady were among the first people who reached out to him to help the victims. They did so in the weeks after the storm.
"Some of the very first people to reach out to me during the hurricane fundraiser, Coach Belichick and Tom Brady, they were very, very quiet about it," Watt said (Timestamp: 18:50.) "They didn't want anybody to know about it.
"But I want people to know about it, because they should know about their generosity. They were extremely generous and extremely kind in those early days after such a devastating hurricane.
Despite the YouCaring.com page saying that the fundraiser had originally raised over $37 million, Watts' foundation announced more money came in, adding $4.6 million for a total of $41.6 million.
This money was distributed to All Hands and Hearts, Americares, Boys & Girls Clubs, Baker Ripley, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children and SBP, Sarah Barshop of ESPN reported in 2018.
Watt thanked Belichick in Brady in September 2017, saying “incredibly kind gestures (that) ... show what type of people they are" in an Associated Press story before the Patriots and Texans played that month. According to the story, Brady contributed $100,000, while Belichick donated $50,000.
J.J. Watt says it was 'frustrating' to see Tom Brady, Bill Belichick on the field
Before he praised Tom Brady and Bill Belichick for their gesture to the victims of Hurricane Harvey, J.J. Watt recalled how he felt clashing against the six-time Super Bowl winner duo.
"Tom just comes up, he makes a check, he knows exactly where he wants to throw the ball and then fires it over there," Watt said. "All you did all week is for nothing, and it's frustrating and it's so annoying."
Watt said that his team tried to disguise its schemes to attack Brady and the Pats, but they always found out. The former Texan and Brady are now retired from the NFL, while Belichick is trying his hands in the media, waiting to see if a new coaching job opens.