Burnley shareholder JJ Watt makes Cincinnati Bengals promise amid James Trafford clean sheet bet
JJ Watt insists he intends to follow through with his bet and come out of retirement if Burnley’s James Trafford does the unthinkable and continues his remarkable run of clean sheets until the end of the season.
The pair jokingly agreed at the end of December that the NFL legend would don his cleats once again and sign for Trafford’s favourite side, the Cincinnati Bengals, if the Clarets keeper didn’t concede a goal for the rest of the season.
Since then, however, things have got serious, with Trafford keeping 12 consecutive clean sheets.
With another 12 games remaining, Watt – a minority shareholder at Turf Moor – is starting to sweat. The 35-year-old has, somewhat tongue in joke, suggested he’s getting ready for a return by stepping up his workouts at the gym, while also looking at new homes in the Cincinnati area.
Speaking as a guest on the Dan Patrick Show, Watt said he intends to go through with the bet if Trafford somehow goes the remainder of the season without conceding another goal.
“It started as a little joke,” he said.
“But here we sit, we’re 12 games later and he hasn’t given up a goal in 12 games. He’s broken every record along the way. There’s only one record left he hasn’t broken in the history of English football, which is old as hell.
“It’s getting pretty serious. We’ve created a lot of Clarets fans in Cincinnati, Ohio, which is really cool. We’re getting a lot bigger ratings and numbers from the Ohio region, so it’s been really fun.
“I’ll do it. If he does it, which is insane, there’s 12 games left – if he does it, it’s insane enough and I’m respectful enough that I will absolutely follow through. I’ll go out there.
“Who knows if they [the Begals] even want me? I haven’t talked to them, but I’m in shape, I’ll go play.
“I haven’t even thought that far ahead, how do you un-retire? I never filed retirement paperwork, do I have to file paperwork to get back in? Technically I’m a free agent.”