Real Salt Lake apologizes after former NFL star J.J. Watt calls out perceived snub of Utah soccer royalty

SANDY — Utah’s Major League Soccer team issued a lengthy, backtracking statement and apology after a post on social media went viral for all of the wrong reasons Thursday.

The club issued an apology for an “honest mistake” related to a post on X, formerly Twitter, directed at former NFL star J.J. Watt and his wife, Kealia Ohai Watt, before Wednesday night’s international friendly against EFL Championship side Burnley FC.

Kealia Ohai Watt is a Utah native who starred with the Utah Avalanche club team and won four consecutive state titles from 2006-09 at Alta High School, including on the MLS side’s home patch at then-Rio Tinto Stadium. After winning an NCAA championship at North Carolina and scoring the winning goal for the United States at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final, Ohai played eight seasons in the NWSL with the Chicago Red Stars and Houston Dash — where she met her husband while he was starring with the NFL’s Texans.

Ohai currently works as a sideline reporter with Amazon Prime Video, one of the NWSL’s myriad broadcast partners. Her and Watt also purchased a minority investment in Burnley in 2023 as the side was promoted to the Premier League before the Clarets’ most recent relegation back to the Championship this year.

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. https://t.co/ZJem8Nt9vo

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 16, 2026

What did J.J. Watt say about his wife Kealia in response to Real Salt Lake’s post?

All of which was part of a response from Watt about his wife with whom he has two children Thursday morning after his own tweet where he said he was showing “Koa (their son) where mom won her 4th straight state championship.”

“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,” he wrote. “Could probably be worth a mention, but idk.”

The tweet quickly went viral, garnering more than 4 million views over the next several hours and prompting national headlines in PEOPLE Magazine, FOX News, and TalkSport in the UK, among others.

About 18 hours after the initial tweet — which was posted during pregame warmups of the club’s 4-1 win over Burnley — RSL issued a statement apologizing for the error of omission and failing to acknowledge Utah soccer royalty.

“We made an honest mistake yesterday and we are sincerely sorry for that.

“When we welcomed the Watt family to America First Field, we should have recognized Kealia Watt for exactly who she is.

“Kealia is a Utah native and one of the most decorated players to ever come out of this state. Kealia won four state championships with her club and four more in high school, and was a two-time Utah Gatorade Athlete of the Year. She was a U.S. youth national teamer at 13. At the U-20 level, she scored the game-winning goal in the World Cup final.

“She started four years at North Carolina, won a national title with the Tar Heels, then went No. 2 overall in the NWSL draft to the Houston Dash, and was the franchise’s first-ever college pick. She then became their captain with 114 appearances and 28 goals. Kealia finished her career with the Chicago Stars (then known as the Red Stars) and is now a soccer analyst for Amazon Prime Video.

@KealiaOhai,  @JJWatt — we are deeply sorry. Thank you for all you do for the sport.”

J.J. Watt responds to Real Salt Lake’s apology