Deshaun Watson Says J.J. Watt Is 1 of the GOATs After Star's Release from Texans

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson called J.J. Watt "one of the greatest of all time" after the defensive end's release from the organization Friday.

Watson posted his reaction on Twitter after Watt announced he'd mutually agreed to part ways with the Texans:

They'd been teammates since Houston selected the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year arrived in 2011.

Having a high-end signal-caller and edge-rusher on the roster at the same time is usually a recipe for success, so it's a bit surprising the Texans weren't able to generate more success over the past four years. They made the playoffs twice but failed to advance beyond the divisional round.

Now that Watt is heading toward free agency, an even greater focus will be placed on Watson's future after he submitted a trade request in January.

Texans owner Cal McNair continued to signal the franchise's unwillingness to move the 25-year-old Clemson product will confirming Watt's departure.

"There is a lot of misinformation out there, I'll leave it at that," McNair told reporters. "Today we want to focus on J.J. Deshaun is our quarterback, he is a Texan and we expect him to remain a Texan, and we'll leave that."

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Houston does hold leverage since Watson is under contract through 2025 as part of a four-year, $156 million deal, so the sides could be headed toward a prolonged stare down.

Watt's exit, further clouding the Texans' ability to contend for a Super Bowl in the short term, creates another hurdle in the club's effort to reconcile with its quarterback.