Brad Davis brings 15 year career to end

Sporting Kansas City’s Brad Davis announced that he will retire after the 2016 season. The St. Louis native leaves the sport with a number of achievements in his 15-year career. MLS Cup championships in 2006 and 2007, 2011 MLS Best XI accolades, six MLS All-Star selections and a 2005 MLS Supporters' Shield. Davis’s 123 assists and 392 games played rank third and fourth on the all-time MLS regular season charts, respectively.

Davis plans to take some time off and then go into the business world and will be joining Leawood Capital in Kansas City. “Venture capitol is a passion for me,” Davis told reporters on the conference call.

Brad has been battling a calf injury but hopes that Sporting Kansas City makes a playoff run and that he can get on the field at least one more time.

"I can't believe that the last 15 years have gone by so fast and that this journey has come to an end," Davis said via press release. "Along the way, I have met a lot of great people and have had the privilege to play alongside many great players. There are so many individuals that I look forward to thanking who have made me the person and the player I have become."

"Brad has been a tremendous professional throughout his career and during his time with us," Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. "This was a very difficult decision for him, but I have the ultimate respect for Brad because he wanted to leave the game being remembered for playing at a very high level. My only disappointment is that Sporting KC didn't get him earlier in his career, because he would have been a great asset for this club - just as he was this year. It's sad to see him go, but at the same time I'm very happy for everything he has accomplished."

"Brad was one of the most naturally gifted soccer players I have ever been around," said San Jose Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear in the press release. “He has had a great career and I wish him the best of luck. It was a pleasure to coach him for as many years as I did, and I felt lucky to have him on the field helping our team."

Davis joined Sporting KC after spending ten years with Houston and having been one of Kansas City’s biggest rivals. He told reporters that playing SKC brought out the best in him and he thanked team mates for that when told them he was retiring.

The gifted left-footed player was a player that fans loved and loved to hate. When he signed with Sporting KC, Davis started to quickly win over fans by engaging them all around the city.

BRAD DAVIS: CAREER HONORS

• MLS Cup champion - 2006, 2007
• MLS Cup finalist - 2011, 2012
• MLS Supporters' Shield - 2005
• MLS Best XI - 2011
• MLS All-Star - 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
• 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup champion
• 2014 FIFA World Cup veteran

BRAD DAVIS: ALL-TIME MLS RANKS (REGULAR SEASON)

• Games played
• - 392 (4th)
• Games started - 339 (t-8th)
• Minutes played - 29,577 (10th)
• Assists - 123 (3rd)
• Corners - 1,269 (1st)

Game-winning assists - 40 (3rd)