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NEED TO KNOW
- Trinity Rodman opened up about her recurring back injury during an episode of ESPN's NWSL: The Final Third
- The USWNT star revealed what "100%" made the injury worse, which resulted in her nearly four-mont-long absence from the game
- She was sidelined the entire summer, beginning in April 2025, before she returned in August that year
Trinity Rodman pushes her limits.
The USWNT star, 23, opened up about a recurring back injury that left her sidelined for the entire summer after being ruled out indefinitely by the Washington Spirit in April 2025 as she continued to deal with the pain.
During an episode of NWSL: The Final Third, a three-part ESPN Original docuseries that gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the league while highlighting its game-shaping athletes, Rodman gave context behind her injury, which resulted in a nearly four-month-long hiatus.
Credit: Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty
"The injury in my back wasn't something that happened, it was more an accumulation of minutes. How aggressively I play," she explained of her lingering strain in an episode which premiered Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Rodman, who won an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, then revealed what "100%" made her back injury so much worse.
"Honest truth... how bad it was, was like extremely concerning," she shared. "I pushed through it, but 100% made it so much worse." She added, "This is something that's been lingering since the beginning of my career."
On April 19, a spokesperson for the Spirit told ESPN: "Trinity is taking time away from team activities to manage her back," adding, "We look forward to her returning when she's healthy."
The soccer star has previously addressed the topic of her back pain, revealing that she's been battling it for years. While speaking to reporters in March 2025 prior to her indefinite sideline, she said that she didn't think she would ever be "100%" healthy.
Credit: Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty
"It's kind of an issue of it's not one specific thing, it's just the way that my back's structured. And it's more so management than like a curable fix," she shared after Washington's 2-0 win over Bay FC. "So I think we've managed it really well and I'm happy with the progression that we've had."
She added, "But for me, I don't think my back will ever be the way it was my rookie year, which is unfortunate."
On Aug. 3, Rodman made a thrilling return to the field for the first time since leave. It was triumphant to say the least, with the soccer star scoring the winning goal for the Washington Spirit in her first game since recovering from her back injury.
Credit: Jamie Sabau/Imagn Images
Rodman, who hadn't played a match in 114 days, entered the game as sub in the 76th minute to cheers from the Spirit home crowd at Audi Field. The score was tied 1-1 before she made the goal to secure the win over the Portland Thorns.
After scoring the goal, the Olympic gold medalist — visibly in tears — was rushed by her teammates to celebrate on the field.
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"Holy cow, that was just the hardest thing I've had to go through with injury and everything," Rodman said after the game.
"So, being back with the team, especially at home, with the stadium and the crowd behind me, scoring a goal like that — you saw I buried it. I was not going to miss it," she added.
Read the original article on People