HOUSTON – J.J. Watt is one of Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
The Houston Texans defensive end will appear in the April 30, 2018 issue of the magazine, which will be available on newsstands on Friday. The full list is now available on Time.com.
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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner wrote the piece to accompany Watt’s photo in the magazine. Turner stressed the importance of Watt's role in Harvey relief and recovery, writing, “Every few years, a professional athlete touches the heart and soul of a city in a way that has nothing to do with athleticism. Such is the case with Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, who is a star on and off the field.
“Hurricane Harvey was a historic storm that dumped more than 50 inches of rain, damaged more than 300,000 homes and shattered lives. As Houston’s mayor, I led the response and resiliency efforts. But government can’t do everything for everyone. J.J. tackled Harvey’s destruction the same way he obliterates his opponents on the football field. He raised more than $37 million for hurricane recovery and delivered water, food and supplies to storm victims. In the process, he lifted the spirits of all Houstonians.
“Who knows? After I leave office, J.J. Watt could be drafted as the next mayor of Houston.”
The list recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.
Time editors have said of the list in the past, “The TIME 100 is a list of the world's most influential men and women, not its most powerful, though those are not mutually exclusive terms. While power is certain, influence is subtle. As much as this exercise chronicles the achievements of the past year, we also focus on figures whose influence is likely to grow, so we can look around the corner to see what is coming."