NASHVILLE — Roofing contractors who attend IRE in Tennessee this year will get to meet and take pictures with defensive powerhouse J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans.

He will be at the GAF Booth #1401 on Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

As a defensive end, Watt is a three-time winner of the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award and was named the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year. He’s the first player in NFL history to record two 20+ sack seasons in a career and has made the NFL Top 100 Players list each of the last six years, including being selected no. 1 overall on the list before the 2015 season.

Watt made the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl for four consecutive years (2012 to 2015), averaging 17.3 sacks and 79 tackles per year over that span. Following two injury-plagued years in 2016 and 2017, Watt had a fantastic 2018. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September after recording five sacks, 20 tackles, and four forced fumbles. Watt is also the Texans franchise leader in sacks and forced fumbles.

GAF has a history of bringing some of the most exciting guests to the IRE floor.

Last year, the company brought in Mike Rowe, celebrating his foundation that has granted more than $3 million in scholarships to qualified people with a desire to learn job skills that are in demand across the country.

GAF is keeping that momentum going this year with Watt. Watt is the president and founder of the Justin J. Watt Foundation, which provides after-school opportunities for children in various communities, encouraging them to get involved in athletics in a safe environment.

In the aftermath of 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, Watt organized a crowdfunding campaign to help Houston recover. His campaign has raised more than $41.6 million, making it the largest crowdsourced fundraiser in world history. GAF is proud to bring this philanthropist and impressive defensive powerhouse to IRE to meet their contractors.