After more than a decade with the New England Revolution, defender Chris Tierney has decided it's time to hang up his boots.
Tierney, 32, announced his retirement on Thursday, capping an 11-year career with the team that selected him in the 2008 Supplemental Draft. He made 246 appearances for New England, third-most in club history.
“After 11 seasons, the time has come for me to step away from the game I love,” Tierney said. “I feel honored and privileged to have been able to live my dream of playing for the club I grew up supporting. The New England Revolution has always been, and will continue to be, a huge part of my life. Retirement has been a difficult decision, but I walk away with the satisfaction of knowing that I gave everything I had."
One of the sweetest left pegs of the past decade, Tierney was a weapon out of the back and on set-pieces. He scored 13 goals and added 40 assists throughout his career.
In 2016 he was voted as the club's Defender of the Year a season after earning his first MLS All-Star selection in 2015. Tierney scored in 2014 MLS Cup Final, a 79th minute strike that sent the game into extra time. Unfortunately for Tierney and the Revs, the LA Galaxy would go on to win. Tierney missed most of 2018 with a torn ACL.
“When we drafted Chris, we were excited to get a homegrown player before that term existed,” Revolution Investor/Operators RobertandJonathanKraft said. “Now over 10 years later, we are recognizing the retirement of a true professional who represented everything we aspire for the organization to be both on and off the pitch.”
The fullback spent his collegiate career as a midfielder with the University of Virginia, scoring 11 goals and registering 16 assists with the Cavaliers over his career. During his time on campus, he helped lead Virginia to the 2004 ACC Championship.
