HOUSTON – Retired Texans star J.J. Watt and his wife, former Houston Dash and Chicago Red Stars soccer player Kealia Ohai, are getting into the soccer business.
As in, minority investors in a championship title winning soccer team, Burnley, which is being promoted to to the Premier League next season.
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The Watts made a joint announcement on social media about their involvement in the 140-year-old soccer club.
Watt tweeted: “I’m officially retiring from retirement. Kind of... Just watch.”
“We are going to invest in European football,” J.J. Watt said in the video posted on Twitter. “We don’t have buy-an-entire-European football club kind of money. We’re more along the lines of minority investment, but massive emotional investment.”
“In the US, I’ve seen the NWSL grow into something really incredible, and we’d love to be a part of growing the women’s team here and be a part of their journey,” Kealia Watt said.
They attended a match in March at Turf Moor and toured the team’s training facility. J.J. Watt worked out in the weight room before the match.
“When you invest in a club that’s been around since 1882, you must have great respect for its history and tradition,” the couple said in a statement. “We understand that not only are we investing in the squad and manager, we’re investing in the town and its people. We take that responsibility very seriously and intend to work hard in earning their trust and support.
A three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Watt, 34, retired from the NFL after playing the past two seasons for the Arizona Cardinals. He played 10 seasons for the Texans before joining the Cardinals.
He is a lock to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he is eligible in five years.
Kealia Watt is a free agent. The Watt family recently welcomed a new roster addition: a baby boy.
They plan to attend the first match of the season against Cardiff City on May 8.
“We have such great respect for what has been built here by Alan, Vincent and the entire organisation and are looking forward to working with them,” the Watts said. “We believe that Burnley is a special club with incredible supporters and we want to help continue to elevate its global profile on its return to the Premier League.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com