Revolution defender Chris Tierney retires

New England Revolution stalwart Chris Tierney is hanging up his boots after 11 seasons.

Tierney, 32, announced his retirement on Thursday during a press conference held at Gillette Stadium. The left back ended his career playing for the same club that drafted him with the 13th overall pick in the 2008 Supplemental Draft.

After being used sparingly in his first two seasons, Tierney became a regular contributor in 2010. Under the guidance of head coach Stevie Nicol, the Massachusetts native started as a left back, right back, left midfielder, center defensive midfielder, and center attacking midfielder.

Over time, Tierney would settle into the left back spot, making it his regular position by 2012. Here, he showed an ability to get forward and offer some of the best crosses in the league with his cultured left foot.

His best statistical season came in 2015 when he collected two goals and six assists in a career-high 31 appearances. His efforts earned him his first and only MLS All-Star nomination.

Originally pegged to be a backup in 2018, Tierney got back-to-back starts in the beginning of May. In his third start, which came against Atlanta United on May 30, Tierney tore his right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), putting an end to his season.

That game turned out to be Tierney’s last, as he will now look to identify a new focus. Tierney retires as the longest-tenured field player in Revolution history. He’s also tied for the fourth-most assists in club history (40), a number that includes 16 game-winning helpers.

Tierney scored 13 regular-season goals and two playoff goals. His most memorable strike came in the 2014 MLS Cup Final, which was a 2-1 losing effort vs the LA Galaxy.