Aside from their immediate re-promotion to the Premier League, Burnley have had more news to celebrate recently.
Recently retired NFL star JJ Watt and his wife Kealia, a professional soccer player, invested in the club ahead of their return to the top flight.
“We believe Burnley are a special club with incredible supporters and we want to help continue to raise their global profile on their return to the Premier League,” they said in a joint statement.
But beyond their obvious passion for the Clarets, what do we know about JJ and Kealia?
Here, DailyMail.com dives deep into Burnley’s new minority owners.
JJ and Kealia Watt watch Burnley take on Cardiff City at Turf Moor on Monday May 8
The couple have pledged to develop the team’s global profile as part of the partnership
Who is JJ Watt?
Although Watt is a newcomer to the Premier League, he is a future Hall of Famer and an NFL legend across the pond.
A first-round pick from Wisconsin in 2011 (11th overall), Watt has established himself as an elite defensive end in 12 seasons, including 10 spent with the Houston Texans.
In three different seasons, Watt was considered the best defensive player in the NFL and he was also named an All-Pro five times.
He hung up his boots after this season, his second and last with the Arizona Cardinals.
Off the pitch, Watt is – or was – an avowed Chelsea fan.
The 34-year-old’s Twitter page is full of previous references to the London club, and he was even pictured visiting Stamford Bridge during a Texans trip to London.
With Burnley set to face the Blues at least twice next season, Watt is likely to put his former allegiance aside.
JJ Watt, 34, recently retired from the NFL at the end of last season with the Arizona Cardinals
JJ Watt is, or was, a Chelsea fan for nearly a decade, according to his Twitter page
Who is Kealia Watt?
JJ isn’t the only world-class athlete in his marriage, as his wife Kealia is a professional soccer player with three US Women’s National Team caps to her name.
The forward played for North Carolina in college before being drafted by the Houston Dash of the NWSL in 2014.
She played six seasons with the franchise and scored 28 goals before being traded to the Chicago Red Stars the following year.
She last played for the club in 2021, and following the birth of her and JJ’s son, Koa, in October 2022, the free agent may choose to hang up his boots like her husband.
“I still have to figure out if I want to play,” she said People in February.
Kealia is 31 years old.
Kealia Watt (Ohai at the time) plays for the United States Women’s National Team against Switzerland
JJ shared this sweet snap of his family in April, with him and Kealia’s son Koa all smiles
How did they meet?
In addition to their overlapping careers in Houston, JJ and Kealia had a mutual bond.
Kealia’s brother-in-law, Brian Cushing, was a teammate of JJ’s on the Texans, and the pair met through the now-retired linebacker.
JJ and Kealia reportedly started dating in 2016, and the football star revealed their romance in 2017 by posting a photo of the couple on the beach for his other half’s birthday.
‘Happy birthday beauty. May this be your best year yet! @kealiamae,” he wrote.
The couple got engaged in May 2019 before getting married in the Bahamas in February 2020.
Just over two years later, the couple announced they were expecting a child, and Koa James Watt was born on October 23 last year.
JJ and Kealia attend a Houston Rockets game in 2017 during the playoffs
Watt pictured with Kealia and their child Koa during his final game as an NFL player
JJ went public with his relationship with Kealia by posting a beach selfie on her birthday
Why Burnley?
With Kealia’s playing career and JJ’s adopted love of sports, the couple seem to have a passion for football.
Also, JJ joked in a video ad for their investment that he really needs[s] something to do’ after retiring earlier this year.
Speaking more seriously last year, Watt said Front Office Sports that he was “definitely” interested in owning part of a football club and that he had shown himself broadcasting Burnley on several occasions before the official announcement of the investment.
“My wife plays football, I’m very interested in football,” he told FOS.
“I’ve really looked into European football a lot over the last 5-10 years, and it’s something with the passion, with the fan base, the history, the tradition, that really interests me.”
Additionally, the pair admitted to being inspired by the work Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have done at Wrexham, while Kealia highlighted her desire to elevate the growth of the women’s team at Burnley.
“In the US I’ve seen the NWSL grow into something really amazing, and we would love to be part of the growth of the women’s team here and be part of their journey,” she said on Sky Sports. News.
The couple have pledged to develop the team’s global profile as part of the partnership
The couple took part in the championship title celebrations on Tuesday afternoon
JJ was shown watching Burnley games before he was officially announced as an investor
What else have they said so far?
The Watts said they had “great respect” for the club’s history and tradition in a joint statement announcing the investment.
“We understand that not only are we investing in the team and the manager, we are investing in the city and its people. We take this responsibility very seriously and intend to work hard to earn their trust and support.
“We have such respect for what has been built here by [chairman] Alain [Pace], [manager] vincent [Kompany[ and the entire organization and are looking forward to working with them.
‘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.’
JJ also promised ‘massive emotional investment’ in the club, which has been around since 1882.
NFL legend JJ Watt and his wife Kealia invested in title-winning English soccer club Burnley
The couple also spoke about Wrexham and possibly taking cues from Reynolds and McElhenney, who have seen their side promoted into League 2.
‘We watched the documentary on and it was so cool to see what they’ve done,’ Kealia said on Sky Sports News. ‘That’s kind of what we are modelling this after. Wrexham is such a fun team and we have followed that.’
‘I spoke to Rob about his experience and tried to gain some insight into what he’s done,’ JJ added. ‘And I’ve spoken to Ryan and tried to get his ideas about what has worked and what hasn’t.
‘Obviously it is a different league and a different situation but they have done an incredible job. Our goal is to come in and get involved in the community, to really feel like the supporters.’
JJ reacts alongside Kealia during Burnley’s 3-0 win vs. Cardiff City on Monday
What does the future look like?
JJ and Kealia are already proving to be hands-on as minority owners.
The pair traveled to the Lancashire town this week to revel in the celebrations following the team’s Championship title, with Watt embarking on a pub crawl Monday before they attended the Clarets’ 3-0 win vs. Cardiff City.
‘Just getting to know the supporters, I want to earn their trust by showing them how much we care and how passionate we are,’ he told BBC Breakfast.
‘It’s research, I’m doing research and lots of pints of Guinness along the way.’
Watt embarked on a pub crawl as he joined fans celebrating title success ahead of final game
And the fans already seem to be taking to the former NFL star, with local bar The Royal Dyche calling JJ a ‘lovely gent.’
Furthermore, could it be possible that we see a Burnley documentary, or at least further attempts to attract eyeballs to the club like Wrexham has done?
JJ said he and Kealia want to ‘help tell [the club’s] history in America and beyond. We want people to know the Clarets.
Burnley may be the next British club to take the United States by storm.