J.J. Watt is still new to soccer ownership, so you’ll have to excuse him a bit. He’s the competitive sort, after all, having proven himself as one of the most dominant forces American football has ever seen, and it’s hard to tuck that side of himself away, even when watching the new sort of football that dominates his life.
You see, Watt is still very much learning about the Premier League and the culture that defines it. One year into his part-ownership of Burnley, Watt continues to receive a crash course in what was once, to him, the other football, but is now one of the biggest parts of his life.
He learned a valuable lesson this week, one that all who post about this game on social media have learned at one point or another. There are a lot of things you can get away with, but there’s no running afoul of the Premier League’s rights rules, not even if you’re arguably the most dominant defensive force the NFL has ever seen.
Watt’s recent misstep came after Burnley’s controversial draw with Luton Town on Friday. Passion was high, his blood was running hot. That competitive side came out, and instead of an opposing quarterback, it was the Premier League referees on the other side.
That’s the new side of Watt, the defensive end-turned-club owner. The passion remains the same, as does the competitiveness, but just one year into his new football adventure, Watt is still eager to find the success that made him a legend stateside.