After nine seasons in the MLS, New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman has announced his early retirement from the game due to ongoing medical issues.
Twellman, 30, made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, claiming the aftereffects of a concussion has taken a toll on his career and he must hang up his cleats. The prolific scorer has been limited to just two appearances for the Revolution over the past two seasons due to an on-field collision in 2008 that resulted in his seventh career concussion.
Known for his courageous and artistic attack in front of the net, Twellman leaves the Revolution as the franchise's all-time leading scorer. He scored 101 career goals in 174 appearances and was a five-time MLS All-Star.
Spending all nine seasons of his career in New England, Twellman is the only player in MLS history to reach the 100-goal mark with just one team.
"Taylor Twellman has been the face of the Revolution since joining us in 2002," Revolution Investor/Operator Robert K. Kraft said. "His heart, grit and determination have been a model for other players, and he's played a tremendous role in establishing a new standard of success and consistency for not only our team, but also around the league. Taylor was a dynamic player who for nine years was the most prolific scorer in the MLS."
On an international level, Twellman earned 30 caps with the U.S. Men's National team between 2002 and 2008, scoring both his first and last international goals at Gillette Stadium.
Twellman's off-the-field efforts have been just as significant as those on the field. He volunteers his time at Children's Hospital Boston, helping to raise awareness for head injuries. Twellman has also signed on to donate his brain to a Boston University medical program seeking to understand the long-term effects of repeated concussions.
The Revolution will officially honor Twellman before the team’s fans at a game during the 2011 season. The exact date of that public ceremony will be announced once the 2011 schedule is released.
