Real Salt Lake’s social media team stumbled hard this week. During a recent visit by Burnley investors J.J. Watt and Kealia Ohai Watt to America First Field, the club posted a welcome photo addressing “JJ Watt and fam.” They entirely omitted the name of one of the most decorated soccer players in Utah history.
Kealia Ohai Watt isn’t just a casual visitor. She grew up in nearby Draper. She led Alta High School to four straight state soccer championships—one of them inside that exact stadium. She won a national title with North Carolina, went first overall in the NWSL draft, and scored 48 seconds into her USWNT debut. J.J. Watt didn’t let the omission slide. He sarcastically roasted the club on X, calling out Real Salt Lake by listing her local accolades and adding, “Could probably be worth a mention, but idk.”
The backlash hit fast. Fans ripped the front office for not knowing their own region’s soccer history. By July 16, Real Salt Lake issued a formal mea culpa. “We made an honest mistake yesterday and we are sincerely sorry for that,” the club stated across its channels. The exact wording of the public apology admitted they failed to recognize her for who she is, adding, “Kealia is a Utah native and one of the most decorated players to ever come out of this state.”
This isn’t J.J. Watt’s first time playing defense for his wife’s independent legacy. Back in January 2020, he publicly trashed an ABC13 Houston headline that minimized her athletic achievements during an NWSL trade, labeling her merely as his fiancée. The latest incident at America First Field proves sports media still struggles to properly identify female athletes who happen to be married to famous men. Real Salt Lake finished their statement by thanking both of them for their contributions to the sport.