Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has always been a big hockey fan and the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year decided to end his offseason hiatus from the sport.
Watt took to Twitter on Saturday to show his support for the Chicago Blackhawks before they play Game 2 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7:15 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).
As a kid, didn't know better, liked both Wings & Hawks. Hawks fan tonight. #OhNoHeTookASelfie #ItsTheOffseasonRelax pic.twitter.com/AXCnv36W60
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) June 6, 2015
He is known for being one of the NFL’s most dominant forces on the defensive side of the ball, but Watt maintains his passion for the sport he watched as a child.
"I love hockey. Any time it's on TV, I'm always watching. My goal is to one day go to the Winter Olympics to check out some Olympic hockey," Watt said in an interview with NHL.com in 2013.
The 26-year-old All-Pro grew up a University of Wisconsin hockey fan. He also played hockey until he was 13, before his body started to develop toward a career in the NFL.
"I grew up watching the Badgers play hockey. In my bedroom, I still have a couple of signed posters from when I was a kid. I loved it," Watt said. "The Badger hockey program is unbelievable. That was one of my favorite things, going to games there at the Kohl Center. One of my favorite college memories is actually when they played the outdoor game at Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin against Michigan (in 2010). It was nice to go as a fan and watch."
Watt also attended games played the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League in his youth.
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.