Don't question Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson's toughness.
Watson, who is officially listed on the injury report with a chest injury, had the opportunity Wednesday to respond to a report of him playing with a partially collapsed lung and a broken rib against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5.
While the second-year quarterback didn't confirm or deny the report, Watson made it clear whatever ailed him wouldn't keep him off the field.
"For sure, I wouldn't be out there if it would've caused any more problems," Watson told reporters, via the Texans' official website. "I talked it over with my family [and] doctors and everything, and everything was fine. That's the only reason why I was out there."
The Texans designated Watson as limited in practice throughout Week 6, and he played against the Buffalo Bills while enduring another physical pounding.
Buffalo sacked Watson seven times and recorded 12 quarterback hits, and Watson has now been sacked 25 times and hit 66 times on the season.
Still, Watson continues to prove he is able to take punishment and said he played against the Bills with no extra protective padding. He also said playing with his past and current injuries doesn't affect his dual-threat skillset on the field.
"Really nothing, honestly," Watson said. "Just kind of switched up the game plan a little bit, but outside of that, just played a little conservative as far as running the ball, but outside of that, it didn't really bother me.
"I didn't worry about the injury or anything during the Cowboys game because I didn't know what was going on. No one did, and then last week I was fine. I was cleared to play and I was healthy."
Watson, who put in a full practice Wednesday, emphasized he feels "great" and is healthy. More important, the quarterback said he is cleared to do everything as the Texans prepare to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Nevertheless, his ability to rebound from injuries is remarkable when considering the rough treatment from opponents that he has absorbed on a weekly basis through six games. And Watson ultimately credits his experience of playing through injuries going back to his prep playing days.
"I've always had that mentality," Watson said. "I've played through a lot of injuries before, as a young kid through high school. Never missed a game until I got to college where the ACL was the issue and then last year, same, ACL was the issue that kept me out. Outside of that, I was always on the field just playing. Once the game was over, kind of regroup and recover."
Given his ability to quickly recuperate, perhaps the signal-caller possesses Wolverine, mutant-like healing powers.
Whatever the specifics, Watson isn't saying and Texans head coach Bill O'Brien on Wednesday deferred reporter inquiries to the injury report.
Watson will have another opportunity to prove his toughness in an AFC South showdown against an angry and physical Jaguars defense looking for redemption after allowing a combined 70 points over the past two games.
