JJ Watt Wins Prestigious NFL Man Of The Year Award

HOUSTON, TX — If J.J. Watt isn't Houston's most-favorite adopted son, then it's be a crap shoot to see who is. The Houston Texans defensive end, who hails from Wisconsin, was named the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year after his contributions back to the city after the destruction of Hurricane Harvey.

"This award is about the inherent good that lies within humanity," Watt said after accepting his award. "It's about the city of Houston and its ability to overcome adversity at a time when it all seemed lost. It is about the hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country and all over the world who donated to a city they may have never been to, to people that they may never meet. But they donated simply because they saw their fellow humans going through a difficult time and they wanted to help out.

"I cannot express how humbled and honored that I am to be mentioned in the same sentence as Walter Payton. A man who did everything right not only on the field but also off of it."

Watt raised about $37 million through an online social media campaign after the storm flooded Houston in late August. Watt set a goal of $200,000, and pledged half of that during his initial Twitter announcement. Neither he nor anyone else saw what was to come next.

The goals reached higher and the contributions poured in.

In December the NFL announced the Walter Payton Man of the Year nominees from each team, and two weeks ago the NFL announced its three finalists ‚ Watt, Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen and Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson were the other finalists for this year's award, which recognizes an NFL player each year for excellence on and off the field.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Watt posted a video on social media announcing a fundraising campaign with an initial goal of $200,000, to which he matched the first $100,000. In 19 days, he raised more than $37 million. Watt then dedicated himself to finding organizations that will apply the funds in the way he has promised the donors and victims of Harvey.

"I cannot thank everyone enough for their support and donations from across the country and around the world," Watt said in October to those who donated to his fundraising campaign. "You have truly shown what is possible when everyone bands together for one common cause. While we are going to do some truly incredible things with this $37 million to make it stretch as far as possible, it is only one small step in the massive recovery effort that lies ahead. I encourage you to please continue to find organizations to donate to, whether they be some of the ones listed below or others. Houston will bounce back from this and we will rise up stronger than ever."

Watt's dedication to charitable service stretches beyond his efforts in aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. In 2010, he started the Justin J. Watt Foundation in Wisconsin out of a desire to help underserved kids.

"J.J. is one of the most selfless, giving and inspiring young men in the NFL and we are proud he is a Houston Texan," Texans owner Robert McNair said in a statement. "During one of Houston's worst disasters, J.J. was our shining light after raising more than $37 million for victims affected by Hurricane Harvey."

The National Football League contributed to this report.

Image: J. J. Watt of the Houston Texans, right, accepts the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award at the 7th Annual NFL Honors at the Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision for NFL/AP Images)