Rodman signs with the Spirit through 2028
By Lesley Ryder
After months of speculation, Trinity Rodman has signed a new contract with the Washington Spirit. The new deal makes DC home for Rodman through the 2028 season.
The news matched the fanfare ahead of the announcement. On Wednesday, the Spirit announced a press conference with owner Michele Kang and Director of Sporting Operations Haley Carter would take place in Los Angeles - where Trinity Rodman is training with the US Women’s National Team.
“I can’t think of the Washington Spirit without her, and I hope she can’t think about her career without the Washington Spirit” said Kang as Rodman joined her on stage.
Michele Kang and Haley Carter confirmed that Rodman’s contract benefited from the new “high-impact player” rule, but they were unable to comment any further on the contract details.
Trinity Rodman has been a key player for the Washington Spirit ever since she was drafted in 2021. Her rookie year ended with an NWSL Championship, and a Rookie of the Year award. Rodman made her USWNT debut in 2022 and was named to the 2023 World Cup roster.
Though she was a Ballon d’or nominee in 2022, her international breakout came at the 2024 Olympics as part of the USWNT attacking trio dubbed “Triple Espresso”. She scored two goals in group play, and netted the extra time winner in the quarterfinal match against Japan.
Injuries limited Rodman’s time on the field in 2025, but she made it back to the field in time for the Spirit’s second consecutive appearance in the NWSL Championship.
This new contract comes after a long and a very public conflict between the NWSL and its players union, the NWSLPA.
In December, the Spirit offered a backloaded contract on the basis of the league’s growing revenue. Commissioner Jessica Berman allegedly vetoed the contract because it “violated the spirit of the league.”
The NWSLPA filed a grievance against the league for the “flagrant violation” of Rodman’s rights under the collective bargaining agreement. This agreement gap between the NWSL and the Washington Spirit cast doubt on Rodman’s future at the club as her contract expored, making her a free agent.
Soon after the rejected contract, the NWSL passed a “high-impact player” as a mechanism to pay players a higher wage outside of the salary cap. The new rule has been criticized for its subjective criteria, taking things like a player’s position in a year-end list rank into account. The NWSLPA publicly opposed the new rule before its passing, and filed a new grievance after.
The status of both grievances remain unknown, but one thing is certain — Trinity Rodman and her trademark “Trin Spin” is here to stay.