The latest twist in the unlikely bet that could lure J.J. Watt back to the NFL

Legendary defensive end J.J. Watt retired from the NFL in 2022 but has stoked rumours about a potential return following a seemingly impossible bet he made with Burnley FC goalkeeper James Trafford back in December.

Watt, a part-owner of Burnley FC, proposed that if the goalkeeper kept a clean sheet for the rest of the season, he would unretire and play for the Cincinnati Bengals, Trafford's favourite NFL team.

With so many games remaining at the time, it seemed inevitable that Trafford would lose the wager. However, he has since kept a clean sheet in 13 consecutive games.

By mid-January, Watt began to worry that he might lose the bet.

In response to their recent 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, the three-time defensive player of the year posted that he was heading to the gym, seemingly suggesting he may need to get into football shape.

A day later, Watt indicated he had been looking for homes in the Ohio area, home to the Bengals.

Burnley FC, who currently sit third in the table, still have 13 games left to play, meaning it would take a herculean effort from Trafford and the team to avoid conceding at least once in their remaining fixtures. 

Still, stranger things have happened, and while Watt is almost certainly not serious about returning, there's no shortage of NFL players who come out of retirement to play again.

Even as he approaches his 36th birthday, Watt is one of the rare athletes who could still make an impact in the NFL. He tied for eighth among all players with 12.5 sacks in his final season in 2022.

However, even if he were not joking, Watt's previous comments about unretiring mean it is doubtful we'll see him grace an NFL field again.

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