Drew Moor is back.
Moor returns to Colorado with an impressive, victorious pedigree. Over the course of his 16 seasons in MLS, he has 382 regular season appearance, the fifth-most all-time and third-most among active players. In seven prior seasons with the Rapids, from 2009-2015, he took the field in 181 regular season games, the second-most in club history behind only Pablo Mastroeni. Thanks, in part, to an impressive 2010 championship campaign, Moor set the record for the most consecutive complete games played by a field player in MLS history with 68 in 2011.
In addition, Moor has experience as a leader. He served as captain during the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons with the Rapids, and sported the captain’s armband earlier this year for Toronto, with Michael Bradley out on duty with the US men’s national team.
Arguably most significant, though, is Moor’s experience with winning. The defender was key to the Rapids 2010 MLS Cup run, playing every minute of the postseason. In 2016, he joined Toronto FC and went to three MLS Cup Finals in four years, winning one. During his career, Moor's club has made the playoffs in nine seasons.
Moor’s recent winning pedigree is one that Rapids head coach Robin Fraser is very familiar with. Fraser served as a top assistant with Toronto from 2015-2019, until being hired by Colorado in August. Fraser and Moor worked together closely with the Reds, as Fraser, a former center back himself, spent significant time with the defense.
“We are extremely pleased to have Drew join our team," Fraser said. "He’s a player who has been a mainstay in the league for so long and every team he’s been on has been successful."
With the addition of Auston Trusty and Lalas Abubakar this offseason, the Rapids backline is poised to be one of the youngest, most athletic groups in MLS. Moor brings balance to that. The 35-year-old arrives with the knowledge of what is required to win and experience getting there under Fraser.
"His leadership and championship-winning experience will be extremely important to us moving forward," Fraser said.
Moor also knows Colorado, including the fans and the club. This is a player that played the strongest minutes of his career in burgundy and blue and is returning to the team where he has an established history.
To say that he's excited to be back is an understatement.
“It’s a dream come true for me," Moor said. "The Rapids were so good to me in my time there. The fans were amazing. The front office was amazing, and the coaches and teammates were so supportive and kind of helped me make a name for myself in this league... I can’t wait to get back home."
At 35-years-old, it is unlikely that Moor is returning as the player he once was for the Rapids in his prime. What he brings to the table now, however, is precisely what this team needs: a veteran leader who loves the club and knows how to do what it takes to add another star above the crest.
“My promise is that I’ll wake up every single morning and have a smile on my face and do absolutely everything I can, on and off the field, to help support the club and to help it be a successful club," Moor said.
Drew Moor is back. And this time, he brings vital experience to this young Rapids team.
