When J.J. Watt sent out a request for donations in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, he received contributions from around the sports world, including from two high-profile New England Patriots.
It was revealed Wednesday that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick donated $100,000 and $50,000, respectively, to Watt’s hurricane relief fund, which raised upward of $37 million in all.
Watt, whose Houston Texans will visit the Patriots on Sunday, called the donations “incredibly kind gestures.”
“It just goes to show what type of people they are,” Watt told reporters in Houston during a Wednesday news conference. “Despite everything — playing a game against each other, having practiced against each other and being in the same (conference) and things like that — for them to step up in a time like that and just help their fellow human is pretty special, and I think it speaks volumes to their character.
“So I’m very appreciative of that, obviously, and I think that the way both of them went about it, as well, just kind of quietly behind scenes. I don’t think that they even meant for it to get out. So, just good people. Much appreciated, for sure.”
Harvey devastated Houston and the surrounding area, forcing the Texans to cancel their final preseason game. They lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 in their return to NRG Stadium before defeating the Cincinnati Bengals last Thursday.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft also pledged to match up to $1 million in donations to the American Red Cross’ Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Fund.
Thumbnail photo via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images
