Athletics is always about overcoming adversity on and off the field. On Tuesday morning Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris was named 2019 MLS Comeback Player of the Year for his determination, commitment and hard work in overcoming a torn ACL injury that saw him miss the 2018 season.
TRIUMPHANT RETURN
Once cleared to play in 2019 Morris proceeded to play his best soccer since turning pro scoring 10 goals and recording a career-high seven assists. Morris has also seen success on the national level scoring 2 goals , dishing out 5 assists in 12 games for the USMNT.
Seattle has seen two previous winners of MLS Comeback Player of the Year since entering MLS in 2009. Eddie Johnson won the award in 2012, his first season back in MLS, while Clint Dempsey earned the honor in 2017 after sitting out the end of the 2016 season with an irregular heartbeat. This marks the second career major year-end award for Morris, who captured the 2016 AT&T Rookie of the Year Award after recording 12 goals and four assists in his first professional season.
Morris edged LAFC’s Mark-Anthony Kaye and the Philadelphia Union’s Kacper Przybylko for the award, which honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity to achieve success during the 2019 regular season.
STILL PLAYING FOR TROPHY
The Sounders are still in the hunt for the MLS title and will host Real Salt Lake Wednesday ( 7pm ) in a Western Conference Semi Final match. While the award is acknowledgement for his individual effort Morris is looking for a team effort that will dispatch Real Salt Lake and propel the Sounders into the Conference Finals
MLS COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2019: Jordan Morris – Seattle Sounders FC
2018: Gyasi Zardes – Columbus Crew SC
2017: Clint Dempsey – Seattle Sounders FC
2016: Chris Pontius – Philadelphia Union
2015: Tim Melia – Sporting Kansas City
2014: Rodney Wallace – Portland Timbers
2013: Kevin Alston – New England Revolution
2012: Eddie Johnson – Seattle Sounders FC
2011: David Beckham – LA Galaxy
2010: Bobby Convey – San Jose Earthquakes
2009: Zach Thornton – Chivas USA
2008: Kenny Cooper – FC Dallas
2007: Eddie Johnson – Kansas City Wizards
2006: Richard Mulrooney – FC Dallas
2005: Chris Klein – Kansas City Wizards
2004: Brian Ching – San Jose Earthquakes
2003: Chris Armas – Chicago Fire
2002: Chris Klein – Kansas City Wizards
2001: Troy Dayak – San Jose Earthquakes
2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards
