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Matt Reis Undergoes Surgery; Future Uncertain

Matt Reis' admirable yet turbulent season came to an unfortunate end last Wednesday night, just before the final whistle that saw the Revolution bow out of the playoffs to Sporting Kansas City. He'll now look at a lengthy rehabilitation period and possibly the end of his career as a professional soccer player.

By Corey E. Major
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Per a team press release, New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis underwent surgery on his injured left quadriceps tendon earlier today, and he is expected to need five to seven months to rehabilitate the injury.

Head team physician Dr. Scott Martin performed the quadriceps tendon repair on Reis at Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center in Foxborough, Mass. Reis, 38, underwent the surgery to repair the torn tendon that he suffered in the final minutes of the Revs' last match of the season on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Sporting Kansas City.

Reis appeared in 12 regular-season matches this season, and went 7-0-4 on the year, becoming the first goalkeeper in MLS history to go undefeated after making 10 or more appearances in a season. He posted his career-best goals against average (0.72) and had five shutouts.

A 16-year MLS veteran and an 11-year member of the Revolution, Reis holds almost every one of the club's career goalkeeping records, including games played in goal (254), games started in goal (253), minutes played in goal (22,697), goals against average (1.31), wins (93), saves (989), shutouts (66) and saves percentage (72.3).

He is also ranked in the top 10 in several MLS career goalkeeping categories: games played in goal (fourth, 293), games started in goal (fourth, 288), minutes played in goal (fourth, 25,936), wins (fifth, 110), saves (fifth, 1,114) and shutouts (sixth, 75).

Many expected that Reis would need surgery after seeing teammate Diego Fagundez and head athletic trainer Evan Allen help him off the field last Wednesday at the end of the Revs' 2nd-leg match-up against Sporting Kansas City. Reis had a roller coaster of a season and this was certainly not the way that anyone would have wanted it to end. The big man kept New England in the playoff hunt for their crucial final stretch of games and his heroics earned him The Bent Musket's Player of the Month award for October.

His future is now very much uncertain. At 38, coming back from this type of injury may prove to be very difficult. Despite a renaissance in form this season, Matt Reis may have suited up in a Revolution jersey for the very last time at Sporting Park. We'll just have to play the waiting game until further word from the front office.

On behalf of The Bent Musket, our thoughts go out to Reis and we wish him a very healthy and speedy recovery. Thanks for a great season, Matt.

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