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Chicago City Wire

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Chicago Hounds extend contract with veteran player Paddy Ryan

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Ron Estrada Director of Outreach and Development | LinkedIn

Ron Estrada Director of Outreach and Development | LinkedIn

The Chicago Hounds have announced a new contract extension with Major League Rugby veteran Paddy Ryan, securing the tighthead prop through the 2025 season. This move comes as part of the club's preparations for the upcoming MLR season.

Ryan, who is 33 years old, is about to begin his eighth MLR season and his third with the Hounds. He debuted for Chicago on February 18, 2023, in an away game against Old Glory DC.

In 2024, Ryan experienced a notable resurgence in his career. He played in a personal record of 15 games and surpassed 500 minutes of playtime for the first time since 2019. During this period, he registered over 120 ruck arrivals and carried the ball for a total of 169 meters across his starts. Defensively, Ryan completed 75 out of his 84 tackle attempts and secured four turnovers at breakdowns.

Throughout his MLR career, Ryan has accumulated 69 caps, including 51 starts and over 3,000 minutes on the field. His offensive achievements include eight tries contributing to a total of 40 points and gaining more than a thousand meters from carries. On defense, he boasts an impressive tackle completion rate of ninety percent.

Ryan began his professional rugby journey with Austin in 2018 before moving to Rugby United New York ahead of the following season where he stayed for two years. After returning briefly to Austin in 2021, he joined San Diego Legion for their next campaign before signing with Chicago Hounds. This contract marks Ryan's longest tenure with any team during his time in MLR.

He also has strong ties to Chicago through various stints playing club rugby locally and has represented the United States Men’s National Team seven times.

With this extension finalized, the Chicago Hounds continue their roster developments ahead of their next competitive season.

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