J.J. Watt tells Steelers' Antonio Brown to treat brother T.J. like rookie
PITTSBURGH -- Apparently two NFL superstars could now be plotting against Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick T.J. Watt.
Watt's brother, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, said he texted Steelers receiver Antonio Brown with ways to treat T.J. like a rookie.
"Look over my brother, make sure to haze him a little extra for me," Watt said about his exchange with Brown. They were teammates at Central Michigan before Watt transferred to Wisconsin, where T.J. also played.
T.J. became the Steelers' fifth consecutive defensive player selected in the first round when the franchise took him 30th overall Thursday night. In his first full season as a defensive starter, Watt recorded 11.5 sacks and earned second-team All-America honors. The Watt brothers are Wisconsin's two most recent first-round picks on defense. Watt went 11th overall to Houston in 2011.
Speaking on conference call with Pittsburgh media, J.J. said his brother "plays with so much energy and passion" and will "only get better."
"He has such good instincts, such a good nose for the ball -- he's a natural playmaker," Watt said. "He's always been a natural athlete. He's always been a little bit more smooth [an athlete] than I was. He can make some moves and has natural abilities that didn't necessarily come as easily as it comes to me. But I don't want to say natural because I've seen the work. He plays the game with so much joy, and it's fun to watch."
T.J., 22, said he's ecstatic to play for a storied Steelers franchise and plans to emerge from his brother's large shadow on his own merit. General manager Kevin Colbert sensed Watt was his own man during the pre-draft process.
NFL success has brought the brothers closer together, J.J., 28, said. Derek, 24, is a fullback for the Los Angeles Chargers.
"We realize we can use it to each other's advantage, appreciate the competition and the fun that we bring in each other's lives," J.J. said. "It's a blast to watch each other grow."
