SEATTLE, WASH. – Major League Soccer today announced that Seattle Sounders FC forward Jordan Morris has been named 2019 MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Morris ranked second on Sounders FC with both 10 goals and a career-high seven assists during the regular season after sitting out all of 2018 with a torn ACL. 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. Morris is the third Sounders FC player to win the award after Eddie Johnson in 2012 and Clint Dempsey in 2017.
“It’s an honor to win this award and I want to thank everyone who helped me get back on the field this year and who supported me during my recovery last year,” said Morris. “I’m so grateful to be back out there doing what I love.”
After suffering a torn ACL in February of 2018 that caused him to miss the entirety of last season, Morris came storming back in 2019 with an impressive 10 goals and career-high seven assists in 26 regular-season appearances. His campaign started with a bang, scoring twice in the 4-1 season-opening win against FC Cincinnati on March 2, before really catching stride in the summer, where he tallied six goals and five assists in his final 10 starts of the season. He most recently became the first Seattle player to record a hat trick in the postseason during the club’s 4-3 win over FC Dallas on Saturday to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.
“This is a very deserved award for Jordan, who has been extremely dangerous in our attack this season and a large reason why we are back in the hunt for MLS Cup,” said Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. “I couldn’t be happier for him after two years of relentless work, first to rehabilitate his body and then to work on his game. His season isn’t over quite yet, and we’re looking forward to his contributions the rest of the way.”
A valuable member of Seattle's attack, the club recorded an 8-1-2 record this season in games where Morris recorded a goal or assist (the lone loss came in a 3-2 loss to Sporting Kansas City on August 4 in which Morris scored a brace), as the Rave Green qualified for its league-record 11th consecutive berth in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. His 24 career MLS regular-season goals currently rank sixth in club history.
The 2019 MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award was voted on by MLS club technical staffs, media and current MLS players. Below is a breakdown of the voting results:
2019 MLS COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
<strong>PLAYER</strong> |
<strong>PLAYER VOTE %</strong> |
<strong>CLUB VOTE %</strong> |
<strong>MEDIA VOTE %</strong> |
<strong>FINAL %</strong> |
<strong>Jordan Morris (SEA)</strong> |
<strong>21.58%</strong> |
<strong>30.69%</strong> |
<strong>32.43%</strong> |
<strong>28.32%</strong> |
<p>Mark-Anthony Kaye (LAFC)</p> |
<p>24.32%</p> |
<p>21.78%</p> |
<p>24.50%</p> |
<p>24.50%</p> |
<p>Kacper Przybylko (PHI)</p> |
<p>6.51%</p> |
<p>8.91%</p> |
<p>9.65%</p> |
<p>8.36%</p> |
<p>Chris Odoi-Astem (DC)</p> |
<p>9.59%</p> |
<p>0.99%</p> |
<p>8.11%</p> |
<p>6.23%</p> |
<p>Pedro Santos (CLB)</p> |
<p>5.14%</p> |
<p>6.93%</p> |
<p>2.32%</p> |
<p>4.79%</p> |
<p>Ethan Finlay (MIN)</p> |
<p>4.45%</p> |
<p>6.93%</p> |
<p>1.16%</p> |
<p>4.18%</p> |
“I am extremely proud of Jordan and the way he has performed for us this season. Not only is it a testament to his hard work and dedication to recover from the injury, but also the quality of player that he is,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “I would also like to recognize our medical staff that worked tirelessly alongside Jordan to get him healthy. This is a team sport on and off the field, and the work done to get Jordan back to full strength is a perfect example of that.”
Morris also returned as a staple of the U.S. Men's National Team, making 11 appearances while recording two goals and five assists in 2019. He made five appearances and three starts - including the final vs. Mexico - for the USMNT in a runner-up finish at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where he recorded a pair of assists in a 6-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago. His two international goals this year came in his two most recent appearances, a 1-1 friendly draw vs. Uruguay on September 10 in St. Louis and a 7-0 win over Cuba on October 11 in the CONCACAF Nations League. Morris also recorded three assists against Cuba, matching the USMNT single-match record. In all, Morris has 37 international appearances and seven goals for the USMNT since making his debut in 2014.
“As a club, we are so proud of Jordan and all the work he put into the comeback from a traumatic knee injury last season,” said Sounders FC VP of Soccer & Sporting Director Chris Henderson. “He is a special player that began at local youth club Eastside FC before continuing to develop in our Academy and the First Team. Through and through, he is part of the Sounders family and a homegrown talent we are all happy to root for.”
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.
Following a thrilling 4-3 win over FC Dallas on Saturday, Sounders FC continues its 11th consecutive postseason campaign this week as the Western Conference's second seed in the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs. The Rave Green are set for a matchup with third-place Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday, October 23 at CenturyLink Field (7:00 p.m. PT / FS1, FOX Deportes, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). Should Seattle advance on Wednesday, it would face the winner of the LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC in the Western Conference Championship.
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
