Houston Texans’ J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus out for season
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) is helped off the field after he was injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
HOUSTON — Houston’s J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus will miss the rest of the season with injuries.
Coach Bill O’Brien confirmed that both were season-ending injuries on Monday, a day after Watt broke his left leg and Mercilus, a linebacker, tore a pectoral muscle in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Watt sustained a tibial plateau fracture to end his season early for the second straight year. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year returned in 2017 after missing the last 13 games of last season following his second back surgery. The defensive end played every game in his first five seasons in the NFL before his injury last year.
Mercilus, who is in his sixth season, started each game this year and had 10 tackles and a sack.
