J.J. Watt takes his first steps since injury

J.J. Watt suffered a brutal knee injury in October, but he’s taking his first steps. (AP)

J.J. Watt has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, but if we’ve learned anything about the burly Houston Texans star, it’s that he’s got willpower (and branding instinct) that the rest of the world can only admire.

In an early October game, Watt suffered a tibial plateau fracture, which looked every bit as painful as it sounds. Watt climbed into an ambulance, which NBC cameras followed as if it were carrying the president, and began the long road of rehab. He offered up a heartbreaking tweet in the moment:

In his absence, the Texans have floundered. Tuesday afternoon, he took his first steps in that rehab. No, literally, his first steps without crutches:

It’s great that he’s walking again, but he’ll need a little more speed if he’s going to run down most quarterbacks. Still, he ought to be ready for the 2018 season.

More NFL on Yahoo Sports

____
Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.