Jordan Morris is one of our own.
Born and raised on Mercer Island, Morris grew up as a diehard fan of the Seattle Sounders. As a little kid, he used to watch the USL era Sounders play at Memorial Stadium.
Morris was in the stands at CenturyLink Field for the club's inaugural MLS match on March 19, 2009, dreaming of one day pulling on that iconic Rave Green jersey and playing for his hometown club.
Morris joined the Sounders after a sterling three-year NCAA career with Stanford University, where he broke into the United States Men’s National Team before playing a single professional minute, instantly making him one of the most highly anticipated Homegrown Players in league history.
On Sunday, Morris played his 100th MLS match for his hometown club, a remarkable achievement considering the injuries he had to battle back from in 2017 and 2018. Since breaking into the league in 2016, Morris has featured in 88 MLS regular season matches, with 12 further appearances in the postseason.
“I feel like after my injury, my mentality switched a lot,” Morris said after the Vancouver match. “I had a new appreciation for the game, a new passion and fire coming back.”
Morris punctuated his century of caps with the Sounders with a match-winning performance, notching one goal, one assist and earning a penalty kick. His all-around performance in his 100th match was particularly poignant, as it was a showcase of all the new facets of his game that he’s developed over the last few years.
Known for his pace and strength as a No. 9 in 2016, Morris has evolved into one of the league’s best wingers. His off-the-ball movement has become incredibly clever, and his ability interpret space and combine with teammates have made the Sounders one of the most lethal counter-attacking teams in MLS. That was on full display on Sunday night as he repeatedly torched the Whitecaps in transition to devastating effect.
Additionally, Morris demonstrated his increased 1-v-1 ability and penchant for pinpoint cutbacks to teammates, as MLSsoccer.com’s Matt Doyle astutely pointed out in his post-mach breakdown. Building on Doyle’s points, Morris has grown into a competent defender, as illustrated by his tackle at midfield that keyed Seattle’s second goal.
“Playing a new position, that’s something I’ve been trying to work on, getting down the line and creating chances for other people,” noted Morris. “That position change has definitely helped me evolve my game.”
In 2019, Morris was named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year following his rehabilitation from an ACL injury the previous season, recording 10 goals and seven assists from 24 regular season starts. His scintillating form has carried over into the current campaign, with three goals and two assists in the first five matches.
From his first 100 MLS appearances, Morris has already posted 33 goals and 16 assists, lifting two MLS Cups in tow. At just 25 years old, it’s safe to say that his next 100 matches in Rave Green will be even more prolific.
