JJ Watt can breathe a sigh of relief as his bet to potentially join the Bengals out of retirement finally comes to a conclusion
The dream of JJ Watt coming out of retirement to join the Cincinnati Bengals is officially dead. Watt's friendly wager with Burnley FC's goalkeeper James Trafford is now over after Trafford conceded his first goal in 14 matches. If you're confused, I'm not shocked. Let's back up a second.Back in December, Watt, a former NFL […]
The dream of JJ Watt coming out of retirement to join the Cincinnati Bengals is officially dead.
Watt's friendly wager with Burnley FC's goalkeeper James Trafford is now over after Trafford conceded his first goal in 14 matches.
If you're confused, I'm not shocked. Let's back up a second.
Back in December, Watt, a former NFL All-Pro defensive linemen and now minority owner of English football's Burnley FC, jokingly bet with Trafford, a Bengals fan, that he'd come out of retirement to play for the Bengals if Trafford didn't give up a goal for the remainder of Burnley's season.
Trafford took the challenge completely seriously and started an impressive streak in goal. He posted 14 consecutive clean sheets, and even before the number got that high, Watt made it clear he would honor his side of the agreement if he made it all the way.
"I'll do it," Watt said bluntly last week on the Dan Patrick Show. "If he does that, which is insane, we have 12 or 13 games left. If he does it it's insane enough, and respectful, enough that I will go out there and follow through."
Watt used the publicity of the deal to his advantage, posting every now and then about looking for a place to live in Cincinnati and enjoying local cuisines such as Graeter's Ice Cream and Montgomery Inn barbecue. He claimed viewership for Burnley grew in the Ohio region since the story went viral back in January.
Now that it's all over, he's made his stance on Skyline Chili clear.
In reality, it was always unlikely for Trafford to hold up his end of the bargain. There are only so many shots on goal you can keep out in high-level football. But it certainly pushed him to a streak that captivated many fans from this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Watt, who's been retired for two years now, won't have to suit up for the Bengals this year, but the Bengals also never officially said no to the idea. Maybe Watt can show up for a tryout as a way to show appreciation to his talented keeper.