J.J. Watt Left in Tears After Taking 'Hot Ones' Challenge: TRAINA THOUGHTS

Spicy chicken wings leave J.J. Watt with tears in his eyes during Jimmy Fallon's "Hot Ones" segment.
J.J. Watt Left in Tears After Taking 'Hot Ones' Challenge: TRAINA THOUGHTS
J.J. Watt Left in Tears After Taking 'Hot Ones' Challenge: TRAINA THOUGHTS /

1. J.J. Watt and Jimmy Fallon took the "Hot Ones" challenge Thursday night. I can say a lot of things to sell the fact that you should play the video below and watch, but there's really only one thing you need to know: The 6'5", 290-pound defensive lineman was left in tears—literally. And he kept complaining that it hurt to breathe.

The best part was that Watt then had to do his interview with Fallon after the chicken wings bit, and he could barely speak.

2. WWE superstar, actor, pitchman and Make-A-Wish Foundation legend John Cena will appear in a Super Bowl commercial Sunday for Michelob Ultra. The commercial features Jimmy Fallon, Usain Bolt, Brooks Koepka and others. I spoke to Cena about starring in a Super Bowl commercial, prop bets, WrestleMania and more.

SI: Is performing at WrestleMania this year a goal for John Cena?

John Cena: Performing at WrestleMania this year would be a gift. I haven't been intertwined in the machine of the WWE. I know those WrestleMania spots are few and far between. I've expressed that I'm off. But I've also expressed that I live in Tampa. I will for sure be at the event and I have great trust in the process and I have great faith in Vince McMahon not only as a boss, but as so much more than that. As a friend, as a mentor. If he were to tell me that he needs me, I would absolutely be active in whatever capacity, whether it would be like last year in New York rapping my way to the ring or the year before being a fan in the stands. There is no job too small. 

SI: Was doing a Super Bowl commercial something you've always wanted to do?

JC: I think it's great that a WWE superstar is going to be in a Super Bowl commercial because I've been through the stereotyping and typecasting of WWE superstars that Dwayne Johnson himself has broken. And because of his efforts, something like this can happen, where a WWE superstar can be in a Super bowl commercial. I love the commercial because 1) I get to be with my friend Jimmy Fallon, and 2) I love the message that Michelob Ultra is sending. They're saying that wellness is important and wellness isn't just lifting weights. Wellness is moving around and doing something and do it because you love it, because if you love it, it's so much more rewarding.

SI: On of your co-stars in the Michelob Ultra commercial is golfer Brooks Koepka. Did you get to spend time with him? 

JC: I did. I really enjoy talking to golfers ,because their life on tour is very much like the WWE. Their season never stops. They're responsible for their own travel. Their responsible for their own well-being. They're essentially heavily betting on themselves, and they get out of it what they put into it. Should they play well, they get rewarded. If they get into a slump, they have to look to no one but themselves. So it was really cool to talk to Brooks.

SI: Did you know that Koepka revealed last year that he's never in his life had a hot beverage? Do you believe that?

JC: In this day and age, that's very difficult to comprehend. Unless he takes a cold shower every morning, he's probably had some of the water go into his mouth at one point. I can't believe that. He's never intentionally ordered a hot beverage? That's a claim? That's tough to believe. I don't want to call the man out on it, but that's tough to conceptualize.

SI: As I mentioned, Jimmy Fallon is in the Michelob Ultra commercial with you. We see you on the Today show all the time. Would you ever want to be a late-night talk show host?

JC: I have very little control over all that stuff. This is the philosophy I used in WWE to great success: I would always just take what was asked of me and make it my own. I love being on those talk shows. Being in the chair next to Jimmy is awesome. He's such a great host. He makes you feel like it's your home for the eight or 12 minutes you're out there. He's fantastic at what he does. I love being on the Today show. If the opportunity came around, it's something that I certainly would enjoy. It's the chance to be in front of a live audience every night and there's no substitute for that. But I don't make those choices and I have no plans to start my own TV studio or to start my own talk show, so we'll see where it goes from there, and right now I'll just try to do the best with the opportunities I got.

SI: Do you ever bet on sports? 

JC: I don't bet on sports. I bet on other things. 

SI: I wanted to get your opinion on some of the more outrageous prop bets offered on the Super Bowl this year. Just tell us what you would bet if you were a betting man. How many commercials will have a dog in it during the Super Bowl? The over/under is 3.5.

JC: More than 3.5.

SI: Length of Demi Lovato's "brave" note at the end of the national anthem: Will it be longer or shorter than 5.5 seconds?

JC: I'll take the over. I think she will go longer.

SI: Will President Donald Trump tweet during the Super Bowl?

JC: That is a 100% certain that he will.

SI: Will J-Lo or Shakira show cleavage? You can bet both, neither or just one of them.

JC: I think they both will and I define cleavage as respectful showing of a woman's figure. I don't think any wardrobe accidents will occur, but I think their outfits will be provocative but not offensive.

SI: Will J-Lo show butt cleavage?

JC: I say no to that one.

3. Jimmy Kimmel gave us another edition of "Mean Tweets" featuring NFL players, and Tom Brady stole the show.

4. Shaquille O'Neal shared a great story on Inside the NBA on Thursday night about what Kobe Bryant would do during shootaround during his rookie season.

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5. This isn't how basketball works, Draymond Green.

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6. This week's SI Media Podcast features an interview with play-by-play man Kevin Harlan.

Harlan shared memories of Kobe Bryant and talked about what it was like to call games throughout Kobe's career.

The second half of the podcast focuses on Harlan calling Super Bowl LIV this Sunday for Westwood One Radio. It will be Harlan's 10th straight season calling the Super Bowl, and he discusses his prep for the game, the audience he's serving and much more.

You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Play.

7. RANDOM YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE DAY: With J.J. Watt set to host Saturday Night Live this weekend, I thought we should look back at the best SNL skit starring an athlete.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.


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Jimmy Traina
JIMMY TRAINA

Jimmy Traina is a staff writer and podcast host for Sports Illustrated. A 20-year veteran in the industry, he’s been covering the sports media landscape for seven years and writes a daily column, Traina Thoughts. Traina has hosted the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast since 2018, a show known for interviews with some of the most important and powerful people in sports media. He also was the creator and writer of SI’s Hot Clicks feature from 2007 to '13.