The J.J. Watt NFL Return Challenge: A Goalkeeping Feat and a Test of Will

On December 28, Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford made a bold yet unrealistic request to former NFL pass rusher J.J. Watt: Would he come out of retirement to play for the Cincinnati Bengals? Watt, 35, had retired in 2023 after a 12-year career with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals, during which he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times. Despite not thinking about playing again, Watt agreed to the challenge with a condition: Trafford had to keep a clean sheet for the rest of the season. The next day, Trafford delivered, stopping three shots during a 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough. The clean sheets kept coming, and by the time Burnley's 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday last Friday rolled around, Trafford had posted 12 consecutive league clean sheets—11 since his conversation with Watt. Watt acknowledged the challenge on social media by posting Trafford's request from December. However, he is unsure about the coming-out-of-retirement process should Trafford continue his shutout streak. Nevertheless, he is in shape and is willing to play if the Bengals will have him. Manchester United holds the longest run of consecutive clean sheets in English football after not conceding a goal in 14 straight matches during the 2008-09 season. Burnley still has 13 games remaining on its schedule, including an FA Cup match against Preston North End on Saturday. While an NFL return may not be the only thing Watt will celebrate come the end of the EFL Championship season in May, Burnley currently sits in third place, two points behind Sheffield United for an automatic promotion spot to the Premier League. There are 12 league games left with the possibility of playoffs should they finish between third and sixth place. Trafford himself has expressed doubt about the chances of Watt actually returning to the NFL, telling Sky Sports last week that "the chances of it happening are extremely slim." However, Watt's willingness to consider the challenge shows that even after a successful career in the NFL, he is still willing to take on new challenges and make things happen.