NFL legend JJ Watt voiced his displeasure with Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake after a social media post he felt disrespected his wife, former U.S. Women's National Team player Kealia Watt. The incident occurred when the couple attended a friendly match between Real Salt Lake and English side Burnley at America First Field.
Real Salt Lake posted a photo of the Watt family entering the stadium with the caption, "Welcome to the Riot, @JJWatt and fam." Watt, who is a minority owner of Burnley, responded on social media, pointing out that the post failed to acknowledge his wife's significant soccer accomplishments.
"The woman in the photo grew up literally down the road, won 4 Utah state championships (1 in this exact stadium), Gatorade Player of the Year twice, National Player of the Year, scored the fastest first goal in USWNT history… Could probably be worth a mention, but idk," Watt wrote in a quote-tweet.
Kealia Watt has an extensive soccer background. She was a four-year starter for the UNC Tar Heels, a member of their 2012 championship-winning team, and a U.S. youth international, winning the U20 Women's World Cup in 2012. She debuted for the senior USWNT in October 2016, scoring 48 seconds after coming off the bench to set a record for the fastest goal in a USWNT debut. She also served as captain for the NWSL's Houston Dash and tied for the league's golden boot in the 2016 season. After retiring from playing, she became a contributor and sideline analyst for Amazon's Prime Video NWSL broadcasts in 2024. She remains involved in soccer as a minority owner of Burnley alongside her husband.
JJ and Kealia Watt began dating in 2016 and were married in 2020. They attended the friendly match with their eldest son, Koa, aged three.