English Championship club Burnley made history by keeping a 10th successive clean sheet on Wednesday — a record that means part owner J.J. Watt might have to make good on a bet that he would make a shock NFL return with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Watt, the former All-Pro defensive end, shared a text conversation with Burnley’s James Trafford in January in which the goalkeeper, at the very start of the streak, asked the 35-year-old to unretire and join the Bengals.
Watt replied: “You don’t allow a goal for the rest of the season and it’s a deal.” He captioned the post: “This is starting to become a bit of a concern…”
Burnley haven’t conceded a goal since that message was shared and on Wednesday became the first club in England’s second-tier to keep 10 straight clean sheets after beating Hull City 2-0.
The former Premier League side are third in the table, three points off the automatic promotion places. There are 14 games left in the season.
After sharing the record on social media, Watt posted, “I mean I do love Graeter’s and Montgomery Inn BBQ,” referencing two famous Cincinnati food institutions.
Watt retired from the NFL in 2022 after 12 seasons, starting with the Houston Texans before joining the Arizona Cardinals. A former first-round draft pick, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Record Breaking!
First team in Championship history to keep 10 straight clean sheets.
Unbelievable.#UTC https://t.co/lKZWT9dtal
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) February 12, 2025
Watt bought a minority stake in Burnley a year after his retirement along with his wife, Kealia, who played eight seasons in the NWSL. The Lancashire club take on Preston North End next on Saturday.