J.J. Watt is done for at least half the season.
The Texans announced today that Watt, their superstar defensive lineman, has been placed on injured reserve. Under NFL rules, the Texans could either put him back on the active roster in eight weeks or shut him down for the entire season.
Watt had offseason back surgery and injured his back again on Thursday against the Patriots. The Texans have not said how severe his latest injury is, but the fact that he’s on injured reserve indicates that it’s serious.
The three-time winner of the NFL’s defensive player of the year award, Watt has never missed a game in his NFL career, but will miss his first game on Sunday.