Houston Texans Star JJ Watt Raising Millions For Harvey Relief
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ARLINGTON (CBSMiami/AP) — The effects from Hurricane Harvey are being felt by people throughout Texas and Louisiana.
The NFL's Texans were planning to head home to flood-ravaged Houston after their final preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys was canceled Wednesday.
The game had been moved from Houston to the home of the Cowboys because of widespread flooding in the Houston area in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
The decision to cancel Thursday night's game altogether was announced when the Texans said local authorities had found a safe route for the team to drive the 250 miles home.
"At this time, the priority of our organization is getting our players, coaches and staff back home to be reunited with their families, many of whom have been evacuated from their homes and are currently sheltered," the Texans said in a statement. "The team feels it is imperative to get back home to help the Houston community recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey."
After the Texans played their preseason game in New Orleans last weekend, they went to North Texas instead of home after the storm.
The Texans worked out Monday and Tuesday at the Cowboys' practice facility.
Texans star J.J. Watt was among those who didn't think the game should be played with the devastation in Houston.
"I think the only good thing that can possibly come out of a game on Thursday would be a massive fundraiser," Watt said Tuesday. "This is bigger than football. It's bigger than a game. It's bigger than any of us."
Watt almost didn't know to react to the stunning growth of his flood relief fundraising effort, which started with a web page and a selfie video Sunday.
Since then, he's been offering video updates as the total climbed over $5 million. The original goal was $200,000.
Every time a new goal is reached, Watt releases a new video and sets a new goal.
When the sun came up on Wednesday the goal was $5 million. Watt sent out a new video with a new goal, $6 million, around 8 a.m.
Less than six hours later the $6 million goal was reached and Watt set the bar even higher, raising the goal to an amazing $10 million.
"Everything's bigger in Texas so I'm raising the goal to $10 million," Watt said in his latest video.
While he has been saying the money is for Houston, Watt clarified that the donations will go to help people in the affected areas around Houston as well, such as Rockport and Victoria.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
