Waukesha County Native JJ Watt Leaving Houston Texans

WAUKESHA COUNTY, WI—Football star J.J. Watt announced on Twitter Friday that he will be leaving the Houston Texans, which agreed to release him.

Watt was drafted by the Texans in 2011 with the No. 11 pick. Watt, a five-time All-Pro defensive end for the Houston Texans, is a native of Pewaukee. The three-time NFL defensive player of the year also played 26 games at the University of Wisconsin over two seasons.

Watt and the team's owners, the McNair family, mutually agreed to part ways, he tweeted.

"I came here 10 years ago as a kid from Wisconsin who'd never really been to Texas before," Watt said. "And now I can't imagine my life without Texas in it. The way that you guys have treated me, besides draft night. I mean, you guys booed me on draft night. But every day after that, you treated me like family. And I truly feel like you're my family."

Watt said he met his future wife Kealia Ohai in Texas and made lifelong friendships.

"Thank you, Houston. I love you," he said at the end of the Twitter message.

"Change is never easy, especially when it involves the ones you love. J.J.'s impact on not only our organization, but the entire Houston community, is unlike any player in our franchise's history," Texans chair and CEO Cal McNair said statement. "I told J.J. earlier this week that we will forever consider him a Texan. We take solace in knowing that this is not a goodbye but a 'see you soon.' For now, we will build upon the foundation that J.J. created here and forge ahead with our unwavering mission to bring a championship to our city, create memorable experiences for our fans and do great things for Houston."