J.J. Watt undergoes back surgery but expected to play in opener
— -- Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has had back surgery but is still expected to be ready to play when the regular season begins, a league source confirmed Thursday to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Watt will open training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list and miss the preseason but is expected to be ready for the regular-season opener, the source said.
It's the second major surgery in six months for Watt, who had been rehabbing from a January procedure in which five fully or partially torn core-area muscles were repaired: three adductors and two abdominal muscles.
The Houston Chronicle previously reported Watt's back surgery.
Although Watt never missed a game, he suffered several injuries last season. He also played through a broken hand last season and a herniated disk.
Watt has not missed a game since being drafted in the first round in 2011. Even with all that turmoil, Watt won his third defensive player of the year award for his 17.5-sack 2015 season.
Information from ESPN's Tania Ganguli was used in this report.
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