Placing a bet on a goalkeeper allowing at least one goal over a season seems like a safe option. However, former NFL player and current CBS analyst JJ Watt may be reassessing that stance. On December 28, James Trafford, the goalkeeper for Burnley in the English Football League Championship (a club in which Watt and his wife Kealia acquired a minority stake in 2023), reached out to Watt on social media, asking if he’d consider returning from retirement to play for the NFL’s Bengals next season. Watt humorously replied, “You don’t allow a goal the rest of the season and it’s a deal,” and that possibility is becoming increasingly likely.
Since that wager, Trafford has achieved four consecutive clean sheets, including a notable 0-0 draw against Sunderland. Following this success, Watt shared a light-hearted post on X referencing his DM conversation with Trafford:
This is starting to become a bit of a concern… pic.twitter.com/MrOdjRz2En
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 18, 2025
Watt also shared highlights from the Sunderland match, showcasing Trafford saving two penalties:
https://t.co/aDcEAyk091 https://t.co/gNd4SlHLae
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 18, 2025
While it might be amusing to imagine Watt needing to fulfill his bet, the reality is that the EFL Championship consists of 46 matches in the regular season, and Burnley, currently in third place with a record of 14-11-2, has only completed 27 games. Additionally, if “season” includes playoffs for promotion, Trafford’s challenge would be even tougher. Nevertheless, with Burnley conceding only nine goals this season—the best defensive record in the Championship—there is a hint of risk for Watt.
Realistically, the 35-year-old Watt likely won’t come out of retirement even if Trafford performs the unthinkable. Many media personalities have failed to honor far more serious bets, and Watt has comfortably adapted to his role as a full-time The NFL Today analyst at CBS. He has also begun engaging in game analysis, recently participating in a Christmas Day broadcast with Ian Eagle and Nate Burleson, which was rated 10th out of 25 by our readers.
That said, Watt has occasionally entertained the notion of returning to play football. While it remains a slim possibility, it would certainly be entertaining if a bet with a goalkeeper from a team he partially owns (which has even led to some hilarious cross-sport moments) inspired such a return.
