Taylor Twellman
A ferocious goal-scorer whose career was cut short, he became the sharp, passionate voice of American soccer for a new generation.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American soccer player·Birthday: February 29·Generation X
Biography
Taylor Twellman’s story is one of meteoric rise and abrupt, painful transition. Bursting onto the MLS scene with the New England Revolution in 2002, he possessed a striker’s instinct that felt preternatural, netting goals with a relentless, physical style that earned him an MVP award in 2005. For a few electric years, he was the most dangerous American forward in the domestic league, a cornerstone for club and a hopeful for country. Then, in 2008, a series of concussions—the last a severe head-to-head collision—derailed everything. His fight to return became a public battle with post-concussion syndrome, forcing his retirement in 2010. Rather than fade, Twellman channeled that same intensity into the broadcast booth. His analysis for ESPN and later Apple TV is unflinchingly direct, blending tactical insight with a crusader’s passion for player safety, forever changing how the game is discussed in the U.S.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Taylor was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Taylor Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Taylor's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the MLS MVP award in 2005 after scoring 17 goals for the New England Revolution.
- Led MLS in scoring in 2005 and was the league's top scorer in 2002 with 23 goals.
- Named to the MLS Best XI five times during his career from 2002 to 2007.
- His jersey number 20 was retired by the New England Revolution in 2017.
- Became a lead soccer analyst for ESPN and later for MLS broadcasts on Apple TV.
Did You Know?
He comes from a prominent soccer family; his father, Tim Twellman, and his uncle, Steve Twellman, both played professionally.
He played one season of professional baseball in the Chicago Cubs minor league system before committing to soccer.
He founded the ThinkTaylor Foundation to raise awareness for concussion research and treatment.
He scored the first hat-trick in MLS Cup playoff history in 2002.
“The game doesn't owe you anything. You owe the game everything.”
