T.J. Watt reveals recruiting tactic to lure brother J.J. out of retirement

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Three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt has said numerous times it would have been a "dream" to play with brothers T.J. and Derek.

J.J. retired last year without ever fulfilling that dream.

But it did almost come true in the middle of this season. The future Hall of Famer admitted he was "monitoring" the situations of the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

J.J. spent 10 of his dozen seasons with Houston, while T.J. plays for the Steelers.

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T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers, left, and Houston Texan J.J. Watt prior to a game at NRG Stadium Oct. 1, 2023, in Houston.  (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

The older brother said he visited T.J. midway through the season, and that was the first time he genuinely missed football. He later joked that the Steelers lost the following three games.

But J.J. also mentioned that he was only returning to a team that was a legitimate contender, which is why the only way T.J. could recruit his brother was to win.

"I was trying to win as much as possible. I knew that was going to be a big factor," T.J. said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "At the end of the day, all those business decisions are separate from that. He was staying ready just in case, and, obviously, it didn't come to fruition."

T.J.'s aches and pains the next day helped the elder Watt return to reality.

J.J. said he was able to go for a walk and get coffee rather than get treatment and deal with soreness like his younger brother.

T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after recording a sack during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium