What Happened to Taylor Timothy Twellman?

Taylor Twellman, born February 29, 1980, established himself as one of Major League Soccer's most prolific forwards during his eight seasons with the New England Revolution. Drafted second overall in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft, he made an immediate impact, scoring 23 goals in his rookie season and earning MLS Best XI honors. Twellman was named MLS MVP in 2005, leading the league in scoring and becoming the youngest player to reach 100 MLS goals in 2009. He also earned 30 caps for the United States Men's National Team, scoring 6 international goals.

However, Twellman's career was tragically cut short due to the cumulative effects of multiple concussions. He suffered at least eight documented concussions, with a significant incident occurring on August 30, 2008, when he took a goalkeeper's fist to the head. Despite scoring a goal and continuing to play for several weeks, this injury ultimately led to severe post-concussion syndrome symptoms, including migraines, vertigo, and memory loss. He officially retired from professional soccer in 2010 at the age of 30, a decision he later stated was made after a particularly bad headache following a return to play in 2009.

Following his retirement, Twellman transitioned into a highly successful media career. He joined ESPN/ABC in November 2011 as a soccer analyst, quickly becoming their lead color commentator for MLS coverage and a prominent voice for U.S. Soccer. During his nearly 13 years at ESPN, he covered multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA European Championships, and U.S. national team matches, and was known for his passionate and insightful analysis, including his viral 'What are we doing?!?' rant after the USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. He also expanded his roles to include hosting and analyzing on non-soccer programs like SportsCenter.

In January 2023, Twellman announced his departure from ESPN to join Apple's MLS Season Pass as a lead match analyst, a move that coincided with Apple's exclusive 10-year, $2.5 billion broadcasting deal with Major League Soccer. This transition allowed him to remain at the forefront of MLS coverage as the league entered a new era of streaming.

As of July 2026, Twellman continues his role as a lead analyst for MLS on Apple TV. He has also expanded his media presence during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted in North America. In March 2026, it was announced that Twellman would contribute content to Yahoo Sports for their World Cup coverage, appearing on digital programs like 'Yahoo Sports Daily' and 'The Cooligans.' Furthermore, he has made guest appearances on various ESPN shows, including co-hosting 'PTI' for the first time in June 2026, demonstrating his continued influence across sports media.

Beyond his broadcasting work, Twellman remains a dedicated advocate for concussion awareness. In 2011, he founded the ThinkTaylor foundation, a charitable organization focused on educating athletes, parents, and coaches about the dangers of concussions and promoting safer sports environments. His personal experience with post-concussion syndrome drives his mission to change the culture around head injuries in sports, emphasizing awareness, rehabilitation, and education. He also completed his degree at the University of Maryland in May 2025.