Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 1623 The lingering ghost
During the 2020 offseason, Brady bid farewell to the New England Patriots, and Watt bid farewell to the Houston Texans, causing a sensation throughout the league.

From that moment on, the media had been waiting for this day to arrive: Brady would face the New England Patriots, and Watt would play against the Houston Texans. Once a flag-bearer for his own team, Watt was now standing on the opposite side, ready to defeat his team. The feelings involved were not so simple.

Some might say that they are ultimately different, and Watt still cannot compare to Brady.

Brady brought five Super Bowl championships to the New England Patriots, and his mentor-student relationship with Billychick was like that of a father and son. All of this is something Watt could not match. Whether it was Watt's achievements or his relationship with O'Brien, nothing was comparable.

However, things are not that simple.

Although Watt didn't bring the Houston Texans a Super Bowl championship, the relatively new Houston Texans were fringe players for a long time, practically invisible, with little presence in the league. It wasn't until Watt's meteoric rise, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award three times in four years, that the Houston Texans grew into a competitive team and gained countless fans.

It is no exaggeration to say that without Watt, there would be no Houston Texans as we know them today, and without Watt, Houston Texans would have to start all over again.

And O'Brien is the same.

Watt joined the Houston Texans in 2011, while O'Brien joined in 2014; Watt had already won his first NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012, so Watt and O'Brien don't have a mentor-student relationship.

But no one can deny that O'Brien truly understood Watt, fully utilized Watt's abilities, laid the foundation for Watt to win the league's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014 and 2015, and truly transformed the Houston Texans into a team capable of contending for the championship.

They are not master and apprentice, but comrades-in-arms who have weathered storms together.

Now, they've become bitter enemies, a truly lamentable situation.

"A battle of equals"—major media outlets used this headline to report on the opening game between the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs. The only regret among all the topics was that this was a game at Arrowhead Stadium, not Watt's return to NRG Stadium, which was ultimately different.

That said, the media still emphasized that last season's federation final also took place on this field, where Watt was so emotional that he almost shed tears. Now, seven months later, Watt and the Houston Texans are on opposite sides, fighting for different goals.

At the pre-game press conference, unusually, Levi wasn't the focus; Watt and O'Brien were.

Watt remained rational and calm; he had long anticipated this day, it had just come a little earlier than expected.

"I am very excited and emotional. After all, that is the team where I spent nine years of my professional career. As I enter my tenth year in the league, I am facing a brand new challenge. It is a mix of feelings for me. There are my best and happiest memories there, and it is also the support that has helped me grow into who I am today. I respect this team and its fans. Now, standing on the opposite side of them, starting a brand new beginning, it is hard for me to accurately describe my emotions."

"Perhaps, I will only be able to understand my feelings when the final whistle blows."

Watt remains Watt, sincere and open, even revealing some of his vulnerability and complexity, accepting the spotlight with dignity.

As Li Wei said, I have a clear conscience.

“Bill is a fantastic coach; nobody understands the game better than him. A large part of my career success is thanks to his guidance.”

"But there's no doubt that our relationship is that of professional colleagues; we both want to win, and we work for victory."

"The past is the past, and we all know very well what today's outcome means—victory. I know Bill will be fully prepared to avoid repeating the result we had on this field last time; similarly, I will be prepared to do the same and hopefully play my part in Andy's tactical system." Calm and composed.

Watt refused to smear the Houston Texans in any way in the media, even though they are now on opposite sides and he has to defeat them. This does not mean he needs to completely break with the past. Watt still showed his respect for O'Brien and the Houston Texans.

O'Brien was the same; he understood the rumors circulating within the league, and he also knew how to maintain his authoritative image in front of the cameras.

"...JJ is one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history. He will always be a part of Houston. We will never forget his contributions to the team. We worked together for six years and won many tough games. I respect JJ. He gave his all to this team and this city. I don't think I need to say more. The facts speak for themselves. He will always have a place in Houston."

“I have no doubt that JJ will maintain a professional attitude of giving his all to win the game. We know his abilities very well. He has always been a very competitive and always ready player. He will be very strong in this game, and we need to be fully prepared.”

Equally calm, but with an undercurrent of politeness and detachment, O'Brien wore a perfectly professional mask, his demeanor professional and businesslike.

When the media focused their attacks on rumors of a breakdown in O'Brien's relationship with Watt, O'Brien was already prepared.

“I’ve heard those rumors, but I won’t respond to baseless gossip. I’ve said before that JJ is a top defensive player and we respect him a lot. He’s playing for another team now, but this is a professional league, and we all know how these things work.”

"We will do everything in our power to defeat him."

Restraint, distance, and a clear demarcation—the Houston Texans, from top to bottom, exuded a tense atmosphere, as if a storm was brewing, and their expressions were exceptionally serious.

It's not just the two people involved; other Houston Texans players and fans feel the same way—on the one hand, they miss Watt, and on the other hand, they target Watt.

In his pre-match interview, Watson exuded an indomitable spirit, saying, "We will beat him."

Despite repeated inquiries from the media about Watt, Watson consistently offered the same response.

It's obvious that Watson doesn't like this situation. Even though Watt has left, his presence can still be felt in every corner of the locker room. But the problem is that Watt is no longer a part of Houston. He is. He is Houston's present and Houston's future. He should be the leader of the Houston locker room.

The focus of this match should have been "Watson vs. Levi," but now Watt has ruined everything—

The ghost lingers.

But Watson wasn't worried. As long as he could defeat Watt, and with Levi by his side, the world would be at peace.

It was that simple. Watson stared intently at the camera lens, his gaze sharp and unwavering.

"We. Will. Defeat. Them."

(End of this chapter)