J.J. Watt revealed the awkward reality of interviewing his brother T.J. in a pregame production meeting, saying he had to “pretend that we don’t talk every day of the week.”
The NFL on CBS analyst opened up about the strange dynamic before calling the Steelers’ 34-32 win over the Jets, his first game in the booth alongside Ian Eagle.
“I had to be in that meeting with him and pretend that we don’t talk every day of the week, and ask him questions like we don’t know each other,” Watt said. “But it was great. It’s so nice for me, in my first game, to be able to see him, give him a hug, and say good luck to him.”
Production meetings are where TV analysts gather insights from coaches and players before games. They’re usually straightforward interviews about game plans, matchups, and storylines. But when you’re interviewing your little brother, who you probably texted that morning, it gets weird fast.
Watt had to sit across from T.J. and ask formal questions about defensive schemes and preparation, acting as if he didn’t already know T.J.’s routine, tendencies, and probably what he had for breakfast. The professional distance required for broadcast credibility clashed with the reality that these guys probably talk football every day anyway.
During the actual broadcast, J.J. maintained that professional distance by referring to T.J. as “No. 90” throughout the game. It felt forced at times, but it showed he was committed to being objective, even when everyone watching knew precisely who he was talking about.
The family dynamic will continue to be tested as J.J.’s career at CBS progresses. After calling Rams-Titans in Week 2, Watt and Eagle are scheduled for Patriots-Steelers in Week 3. So in his first four announcer assignments, J.J. will have called three Steelers games.
That means more awkward production meetings where the Watt brothers have to act like strangers. More “No. 90” references instead of just saying “T.J.” More pretending they don’t text each other constantly.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.