Following the 2025 season, Paul Rothrock’s contract with the Sounders came to an end, making him a free agent. From there, the midfielder had a decision to make: sign with a different club and begin a new chapter in his career, or continue his professional journey with his hometown club.
After a period of exploration and reflection, he chose the latter.
“It was a long process that I'm grateful to have gone through,” said Rothrock. “I think sometimes you need to know what you're giving up to choose to stay and I did get to know that. But, I’m back as a Sounder, and I'm very happy about it.”
On Dec. 29, it was officially announced that the Capitol Hill native would be returning to the club through the 2028-2029 season, with an option for 2029-2030. Despite offers from other MLS teams, as well as several clubs abroad, the 26-year-old stayed put, in hopes of adding more to an already stacked trophy cabinet at the organization.
“I just still felt like my heart was here and I haven't given everything here yet,” said Rothrock. “I haven't won a [MLS] championship here yet, and still would love to do that.”
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Rothrock has made the most of his time with the Sounders since signing with the First Team back in August of 2023. Along with his 16 goals and 12 assists across 92 appearances, he’s contributed to monumental moments with the club, including last season’s Leagues Cup title win over Inter Miami. With one minute left to spare in regular time, the winger struck the ball perfectly into the far corner to extend the lead to three and solidify the win for the Rave Green.
His consistent, reliable efforts on the pitch resulted in other organizations offering him legitimate opportunities for him to move elsewhere. But, his commitment to the Sounders overpowered any outside noise that could have potentially swayed him in a different direction.
“Paul made a decision that showed how loyal he is to this club, because he had offers from different teams for more money, and he decided to stay here because he values this club, and I appreciate that very much,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “That was a hard decision for him. He went back and forth, and he decided to be a Sounder.”
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Rothrock’s ascent to a rising star in Seattle has been forged through overcoming adversity. From transferring to Georgetown University following his freshman year at Notre Dame, to getting released from Toronto FC before joining the Tacoma Defiance, Rothrock surmounted a multitude of obstacles to reach this point.
His “underdog, forgotten kid mentality,” has been a driving force for him throughout his soccer career, but with his new contract, he recognizes that this exciting, next chapter calls for an updated mindset.
“I'm in a different spot now and I understand that that's a bit of a mentality shift for me that I'm going to be working on too,” said Rothrock. “The goal posts have shifted for me and there's new expectations I have of myself.”
These objectives will be different from last year and they will evolve as the year goes on. Ultimatley, he feels that this year will push him to even higher limits than ever before.
“[In] having a bit of a longer contract, I don't have that uncertainty. And I think that will actually maybe allow me to play better,” said Rothrock. “But knowing that I'm here and I can give everything here, I'm striving for bigger things now.”
