Houston (CBS Houston) – He’s just a boy from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, but J.J. Watt is aiming to prove he is worth every penny of his new six year agreement worth $100 million contract.

“I’m just not one of those guys that’s like, ‘I got it now I’m just gonna relax,'” Watt said. “I wanna go out there and try and be underpaid. I want to go out there and work my butt off and prove that I’m worth it.”

Watt expressed multiple times his level of gratitude and thankfulness to the Texans organization on getting an extension done prior to his contract ending.

Typically the organization hasn’t done deals this early in a player’s contract, but Texans owner Bob McNair said Watt earned every one of his early pennies.

“We just felt that his performance had been so outstanding,” McNair said. “His attitude is so great. His work ethic is such a role model for everyone on our team that we felt that he deserved special consideration. That’s why we agreed to look at this situation.”

McNair continued that the Texans believe Watt is the best defensive player in football and the team wanted to be compensated as such.

McNair has high expectations for the rest of Watt’s career.

“He’s going to be here for a long time,” McNair said. “We look forward to his being the second person that goes in the hall of fame for the Texans.”

General Manager Rick Smith said he and Watt’s agent saw eye-to-eye on Watt’s value. He mentioned the Texans had their future on their mind in the discussion, and signed Watt to a deal that “won’t impede this team us from continuing to build this football team into a championship.”

Watt talked extensively about his upbringing and how it helped put him where he is now. He started to choke up as he told the story of calling his parents last night to tell them about the new contract. He says they began reminiscing about his time as a child. He talked about playing high school football and playing in the yard with his brother. He mentioned the people he met over the course of his life that believed in him.

He also mentioned the people who didn’t believe in him.

Watt’s journey to the NFL included a stop as a pizza delivery driver prior to his time as a member of the Wisconsin Badgers football team.

Watt said he doesn’t forget his first day.

“When I told him that I was just there temporariliy and I was going to go play for the Badgers in six months,” he said. “And he looked me up and down and told me I was not big enough to play for the Badgers. So, ‘hi’ to that guy.”

He said a lot of people talk about achieving special things, but few follow through.

“When it comes down to it, and that alarm clock goes off, and it’s time to make those sacrifices,” Watt continued. “It’s time to do the right thing, that’s when good goes to great, great goes to best.”

Watt might be motivated by supporters and detractors alike, but it isn’t the almighty dollar that inspires him to wake early and work hard.

“Money doesn’t motivate me,” he said. “Greatness does. That’s the truth. This is awesome. I’m so fortunate. I’m so thankful, but I don’t do this for the money.”

Watt said his new contract allows him to take care of family and friends which allows him to focus on the greatness.

So just how does a newly minted $100 million man celebrate?

Watt said he couldn’t sleep so he decided to head to the Texans facilities for a 4 a.m. workout. It didn’t go as smooth as he had hoped though.

“They had changed our pass codes,” Watt said with a chuckle. “I thought they locked me out. I thought they were pulling a joke on me with my new deal.”

Luckily for Watt a cleaning lady let him into the facility where he stayed all day. He said he would sleep good tonight, as anyone with his level of financial security should.

Of course, the good sleep will be interrupted by an alarm clock, likely before most rise and when late night revelers end their evening. Then is when J.J. Watt’s new mission begins: proving he is worth every dollar the Texans are spending on him.

Get in touch with Cody Stoots on Twitter – @Cody_Stoots

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