J.J. Watt calls out Real Salt Lake over Kealia Ohai Watt snub
The MLS club apologized after greeting J.J. Watt and “fam” while leaving out his wife, former NWSL standout Kealia Ohai Watt.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Real Salt Lake rolled out a welcome for J.J. Watt at America First Field, then got a swift reminder from the former NFL star: the soccer résumé in the family belongs to Kealia Ohai Watt, too.
Watt, the former Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals defensive end, attended Wednesday’s friendly between Real Salt Lake and Burnley FC with his wife and family, according to ESPN. The Watts are minority investors in Burnley.
Real Salt Lake’s account posted a welcome message on X that named “@JJWatt and fam,” alongside a photo. Kealia Ohai Watt was not named in the post.
J.J. Watt responded on X by pointing to Ohai Watt’s ties to Utah and her career in the sport. In his post, Watt said the woman in the photo grew up nearby, won four Utah state championships, including one at the same stadium, earned Gatorade Player of the Year twice, was named National Player of the Year and scored the fastest first goal in USWNT history.
“Could probably be worth a mention,” Watt wrote.
Ohai Watt’s soccer résumé runs deep
Ohai Watt played eight seasons in the National Women’s Soccer League as a midfielder and forward, according to ESPN. She played for the Houston Dash and Chicago Red Stars and scored 35 goals in the league.
She also scored the winning goal against Germany in the 2012 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup final, according to ESPN.
Her Utah connection is no footnote. ESPN reported that Ohai Watt is from Draper, Utah, less than five miles from America First Field in Sandy, where Real Salt Lake plays.
She also has history at the venue. Ohai Watt won the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup with the Houston Dash, who beat the Chicago Red Stars 2-0 in the final. ESPN reported that final was played at the stadium then known as Rio Tinto Stadium, now America First Field.
Real Salt Lake apologizes
After Watt’s post, Real Salt Lake’s account issued an apology on X.
“When we welcomed the Watt family to America First Field, we should have recognized Kealia Watt for exactly who she is,” the club’s account posted.
The moment also echoed a previous public correction from Watt. In 2020, according to ESPN, he criticized ABC13 Houston after the station used a headline referring to Ohai Watt as “J.J. Watt’s fiancee” when she was traded from the Dash to the Red Stars.
Wednesday’s exchange turned a friendly-night social post into a quick lesson in naming the soccer star in the picture. Real Salt Lake has since acknowledged it should have done so from the start.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.