Out of everything Jack Price has missed about soccer over the last two injury-riddled seasons, it’s the hunt for greatness with his teammates he’s fixated on the most.
In his mind, Price knows he can still compete for trophies in the upper echelons of professional soccer. He also knows his next hunt won’t be with the Colorado Rapids while wearing the captain’s armband, but rather back in England.
Price, now a free agent after six seasons in Colorado, spoke to The Denver Post and other local outlets earlier this week for a final “exit interview.” He detailed a contentious end to his time as a Burgundy Boy, how veterans influenced his leadership and where his ambitions are at as he faces a new chapter in his career.
One thing is abundantly clear about “Pricey”: He is gearing up for the chase once again.
“The best feeling for me, it is as simple as standing in that corridor waiting to walk out in front of the fans at home, leading the boys out, walking down those steps,” said Price, who is nearing the end of his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in March. “That’s a feeling that I’ve missed so much this season, not just playing football, but that feeling. You walk through the door, you see the fans, you line up against the opposition team and you’re just ready to go.
“It might sound silly, but it’s that simple for me.”
The departure
Contract negotiations often produce dueling narratives, and Price pushed back on club president Pádraig Smith’s explanation that family considerations were at the heart of Price’s departure from Colorado.
Price, soon to be 31, explained the negotiations at length. There were two rounds. The first offer was presented in the summer and a last-ditch one came near the end of the season. Price rejected both.
Last year, according to MLS Players Association data, he earned $825,000. After two years of setbacks, the figure Colorado presented at the negotiating table was significantly less. Price believed English sides could match what Colorado offered.
While it’s true a second child will soon join the Price family, it wasn’t his primary reason for leaving. In fact, he claimed that he wanted to stay.
“I was offered a contract, another year to stay on but I ultimately turned it down because I felt like the offer was quite disrespectful from what I’d given, six years at the club. I felt like it was a little bit of a kick in the (groin), to be honest,” Price said. “It wasn’t like I decided I wanted to go home and that was it. I wanted to stay.
“… I was willing to take a pay cut, just not the amount (Colorado) offered. It’s a shame really with how it ended, and I’m gutted with the fact that I’ll never get to play again in front of the fans.”
Veterans impact leadership
Drew Moor, Steven Beitashour and Tim Howard. Without them, Price said his time in Colorado could’ve turned out significantly different. All three played into their mid-to-late 30s, were reliable in matches and “wouldn’t let you down.”
All three routinely gave advice to budding prospects, and Price always respected that. Seeing Howard in action when he first arrived in Colorado provided motivation.
“People like Drew and Beita you don’t get in football anymore. They’re the old-school type, and both unbelievable guys who have so much love for the game,” he said. “… I thought (Tim Howard) was a really good leader and given the young players we had (in 2018), he was great. Especially for me, I loved him and he was almost like me dad the way he looked after me and I can never thank him enough for that because he really helped me settle in.”
The legacy and what’s next
With a piercing stare and unparalleled beard, the sight of Price was enough to unnerve defenders.
For the last half-decade, he cemented himself as one of the best in MLS history to ever stand over a mark on dead-ball set-pieces. He secured 34 assists, the second-most in Rapids history, across 123 regular-season games and was critical to the team’s run to the top of the Western Conference in 2021.
As for what’s next, he’s looking to “stay local” and sign a short-term deal somewhere around his hometown of Shrewsbury starting in January. He still envisions playing in the Championship or the upper echelon of League One, the second and third tier of the English soccer pyramid.
Back home, not only will he look to be a captain once again with the goal of playing into his mid-30s, but reach the ultimate highs that narrowly evaded him in Colorado. The wheels are churning again.
“I hadn’t achieved everything I wanted to in terms of winning trophies with Colorado and winning MLS Cup. I’ve got a lot of unfinished business because of that,” he said. “It’s mad to think six years, but it feels like six months to be honest. It was that much fun. An amazing six years.”
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