Professional soccer player Trinity Rodman was born into greatness. But the 19-year-old is making herself a household name after signing a trailblazing contract that makes her the highest paid player in NWSL history. The four-year, $1.1 million deal she agreed to with the Washington Spirit will pave way for future league stars.
The contract is more than six times what she was making on her initial three-year deal averaging $42,000 in base salary.
Rodman, the youngest player drafted into the league, was the second overall pick in the 2021 NWSL draft behind defender Emily Fox, and quickly became an elite forward for the Spirit. In her rookie season, she netted seven goals and tallied a league-high seven assists in 25 matches. The Spirit went on to win its first title in club history, thanks in part to a cross from Rodman that set up Kelly O’Hara’s game-winning goal in the 97th minute of the championship match against the Chicago Red Stars.
“The way she performed in her first year allowed us to go to the club and push to get a new deal done,” Mike Senkowski, director of North American soccer at Octagon and Rodman’s agent, said in an interview with Sportico. “And credit to the team: They understood it. They agree they have a generational talent [in Rodman], and they wanted to reward that.”
After just one season as a pro, Rodman was named the 2021 Rookie of the Year and U.S. Soccer’s Young Female Player of the Year.
“The growth that I’ve had here-I don’t even know the words to describe it. I’m just so grateful for what I’ve learned and the people I’ve been around throughout the season,” Rodman said in a phone interview with Sportico.
The contract comes following the NWSL’s first Collective Bargaining Agreement that will run through 2026. The CBA includes the introduction of free agency in 2023, an increase in the league’s minimum salary and other player compensation, and the possibility of revenue sharing.
“The league is growing every single day, and the players are the biggest part of that,” Rodman said. “We’ve worked so hard, and we deserve the world. And I hope this deal shows that.”
Rodman was called up to the USWNT January camp and will be on standby for the 2022 SheBelieves Cup.
(Photo: Tony Quinn/ISI Photos/Getty Images)