JJ Watt keeps hinting at an NFL comeback, but there is a reason for his repeated hints.
Watt on Saturday posted screenshots showing home listings in Cincinnati, as if to hint at making a comeback with the Bengals in 2025. The post attracted some attention online, with some eager Bengals fans rooting for him to take the jump.
This is not the first time this week that Watt has hinted at a comeback, posting Friday that he was “heading to the gym” in response to a win by English soccer team Burnley FC.
Is Watt actually considering an NFL comeback? Probably not, but Friday’s post hints at the reason behind his recent posts. Watt is a minority owner of Burnley, and in January, he shared a text exchange he had with Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford. Trafford had asked Watt in late December if the former NFL star would come out of retirement for the Bengals, and Watt joked he would do it if Trafford did not allow a goal for the remainder of the season.
Amazingly, Trafford has kept up his end of the bargain. He has not conceded a goal since that text exchange, a run that stretches across 11 matches.
Bengals fans should probably avoid getting too excited, though. Burnley still have another 12 games left to play before the end of their league season. They could also face a promotion playoff if they do not finish in the top two. It would be a tall order to keep the run up for that long, though it’s quite the accomplishment for Trafford to have kept it up as long as he already has.
More seriously, Watt has made it clear that he is enjoying retirement and has no plans to come back. He turns 36 in March and last played in 2022, so it would be pretty tough for him to come back at this point. He’s still going to have fun with Burnley’s defensive run for as long as it lasts, though.
