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Report: Watt unlikely to return in 2016

Winslow Townson / USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Texans placed defensive end J.J. Watt on injured reserve Wednesday in hopes he could return later in the season. However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the team believes his back injury is season-ending, pushing his return date to 2017.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year re-injured his back in a Week 3 loss to the New England Patriots. He had offseason surgery to repair a herniated disc and rehabbed aggressively to be able to play from Week 1 onward.

The 27-year-old still has yet to miss a game in his six-year career, but will do so this Sunday when the Texans face the Tennessee Titans.

The Texans had planned to dial back Watt's workload this season with an eye toward his overall health. Suffering two major back injuries in consecutive years puts his playing future in question.

Watt had reached the pinnacle at his position, earning three Defensive Player of the Year awards in four seasons (2012, 2014, 2015) and challenging for the NFL MVP award in 2014.

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