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J.J. Watt Jokingly House Hunts in Cincinnati As Bet to Unretire Becomes More Real

Burnley F.C. goalkeeper James Trafford is playing to bring Watt out of retirement.

Blake Silverman

Former player Watt in attendance of the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Former player Watt in attendance of the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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J.J. Watt, a part owner of Burnley F.C., might have to come out retirement if James Trafford, the club's goalkeeper, keeps playing out of his mind.

In January, Watt posted messages between him and Trafford where the English footballer asked Watt to come out of retirement to play for the Cincinnati Bengals. "You don't allow a goal the rest of the season and it's a deal," the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year replied.

The messages were exchanged on Dec. 28 and Trafford hasn't allowed a goal since, recording his 12th-straight clean sheet in Burnley's 4-0 win on Friday. He last allowed a goal Dec. 26 against Watford, a match which Burnley still won.

Although Trafford's hot stretch has made Watt sweat before, the bet continues to get increasingly real. After Burnley blanked Sheffield on Friday, Watt posted on his X account that he was "heading to the gym."

The bet kept real estate in Watt's mind, as he posted that he was looking at a fancy new $4 million home for sale in Cincinnati. "Didn't think we'd make it this far," Watt wrote as he joked on X.

Burnley's season in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football, doesn't end until May. But Trafford is on a mission to get Watt on the Bengals while he helps Burnley try to get promoted back to the Premier League following their relegation last season.

If he succeeds, at least Watt can mull over his improbable return to the NFL over an incredible view of the Cincinnati skyline. Maybe the Bengals should start preparing an offer.

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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.

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