Looms Large
Jets owner loves J.J. Watt even more than Tim Tebow, claims Texans star is15-feet tall
Even NFL owners in other cities cannot help but talk about J.J. Watt.Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
Tim TebowJockey
Listen to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson talk about J.J. Watt and it sounds like he's speaking of some mythical figure pulled from a twisted imagination.
Come to think of it, this is probably exactly how most NFL quarterbacks feel about the Houston Texans defensive end.
"He's 6-foot-6 and he can jump 30 inches," Johnson said. "So he's probably like 15 feet when you add it all up . . . a tall guy."
The Jets owner was talking about Watt on CNBC's Squawk Box, which is traditionally a business show. Johnson is part of the Johnson & Johnson medical and pharmaceutical empire, so you figure he'd have a few financial insights to add. But why talk business when you can talk football?
"He's 6-foot-6 and he can jump 30 inches," Johnson said. "So he's probably like 15 feet when you add it all up."
While Johnson's comments about Jets quarterback/savior Tim Tebow are drawing most of the national attention (Woody insists Tebow will be in New York all three years of his contract), he almost seemed even more taken with the Texans star.
"He tipped one (pass) that would have been a touchdown . . . ," Johnson gushed of Watt. "There's probably only two or three players in the league that could have made that play."
While Johnson's math is a little off (Watt is actually 6-foot-5 with a 37-inch vertical and no, that still doesn't quite add up to 15 feet), he clearly feels that No. 99 almost single-handedly cost his Jets a win. As CultureMap detailed, it's no stretch to say Watt produced a combined 10-point swing (taking seven points away from New York and adding three for Houston) in a game that the Texans won by six.
Johnson felt his team should have been a little more prepared for Watt, who tipped three Mark Sanchez passes in the game.
"The defense end that got his passes is probably the defensive player of the year," Johnson said. "We should have done a better job of accounting for Watt and keeping an eye, or spy, on him wherever he is . . . essentially don't throw in that area or throw extremely high."
Watt was caught on camera, screaming, "You can't throw over my head" at the stunned Jets after his last pass deflection. No wonder Woody thinks he's 15 feet tall.
