Justin Morrow

Justin Morrow (born October 4, 1987) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defender. Morrow is the executive director of Black Players for Change, which in 2020 won the MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award.

College and amateur career Morrow attended Saint Ignatius High School, where he was an adidas/NSCAA high school All-American.

He played college soccer at the University of Notre Dame. He was a Big East Academic All-Star in both his sophomore and junior years as well as his team's captain during his senior season. He made 89 appearances and scored seven goals during his college career.

While in college, Morrow also played for the Indiana Invaders, the Cleveland Internationals, and the Chicago Fire Premier in the USL Premier Development League. During the 2009 season he helped the Fire to the 2009 PDL championship game.

Club career San Jose Earthquakes

Morrow was drafted in the second round, 28th overall, of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes.

Morrow made his professional debut and scored his first goal on April 14, 2010, in a U.S. Open Cup game against Real Salt Lake. He made his MLS debut on May 1, 2010, against the Colorado Rapids.

After struggling to break in the first XI, Morrow was sent on loan to USSF Division 2 club FC Tampa Bay on September 7, 2010. He returned to the San Jose roster for the start of the 2011 season but was again loaned to FC Tampa Bay on July 14, 2011. This loan was short-lived as Morrow was recalled to San Jose on July 25, 2011.

Morrow broke out in 2012, starting 33 matches as the Earthquakes were surprise Supporters' Shield winners. He was named to his first All-Star game.

Toronto FC

He was traded to Toronto FC following the 2013 season. Morrow recalled learning of the trade while at his own destination wedding in South America, having briefly turned his phone back on to check emails and finding a short message from Earthquakes general manager John Doyle asking him to call. He said that because Toronto FC had a poor reputation for roster and coaching turnover at the time, his initial reaction to the news was fear that the move could effectively end his career within two years, prompting him to call his agent to see if the trade could be stopped.

On December 10, 2016, following a 0–0 draw against Seattle Sounders FC in the 2016 MLS Cup Final at BMO Field, Morrow missed Toronto's sixth penalty in the resulting shoot-out, which allowed Román Torres to clinch the title for Seattle after netting the subsequent spot kick.

In the 2017 MLS regular season, Morrow scored his first career hat-trick in the club's 4–2 home win against New York Red Bulls on September 30, 2017, which earned Toronto FC their first ever Supporters' Shield. Reflecting on the 2017 season, in which Toronto FC won MLS's first-ever domestic treble, Morrow has described as the finest individual campaign of his career, and said he came to view New Year's Eve heading into 2018, spent with his family in South America, as a moment where he sensed he would never again match that year's highs, calling it "the final moment" of his professional peak.

On September 16, 2021, Toronto FC announced that Morrow will retire from professional soccer following the 2021 season. He played his final match on November 7, 2021, against D.C. United, being given the captain's armband for the match and substituted out in stoppage time to a standing ovation from the crowd. Surrounding his retirement, Morrow said he hoped to be remembered as someone who "did more than help the team win," saying he viewed a player's on-field contributions and off-field conduct as inseparable, and stressed that habits built in day-to-day training, rather than isolated moments on game day, form the foundation of sustained success. He was an unused sub in two 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico in March 2013. Morrow would return to the national team in 2017, being named to the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster. He would earn his second cap with the squad, starting and playing the full 90 minutes, in the U.S.'s second match of the tournament versus Martinique, which ended in a 3–2 win.

Personal life Speaking to DARBY about founding what became Black Players for Change on Juneteenth 2020 in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Morrow said the effort "felt necessary" and described the experience of organizing alongside fellow Black players as cathartic, comparing the sense of unity to what he had previously only felt while working toward championships as a teammate.

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

2007 PDL

2008 PDL

2009 PDL

2010 MLS

2011 MLS

2012 MLS

2013 MLS

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2010 D2 Pro League

2011 NASL

2014 MLS

2015 MLS

2016 MLS

2017 MLS

2018 MLS

2019 MLS

2020 MLS

2021 MLS

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International + Appearances and goals by national team and year Runner-up 2016, 2019 Supporters' Shield: 2017 Canadian Championship: 2016, 2017, 2018; Runner-up 2019 CONCACAF Champions League: Runner-up 2018 Eastern Conference winners (playoffs): 2016, 2017, 2019

United States CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2017

Individual MLS All-Star: 2012 MLS Best XI: 2017 MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award: 2021