Bryan Dowd

Bryan James Dowd (born March 8, 2002) is an American soccer player who plays for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire FC.

Early life

Dowd joined the Chicago Fire FC Academy at age ten, later joining Chicago FC United when he was in high school. He attended Fenwick High School, where he played varsity football.

College career

In 2020, he began attending the University of Notre Dame, where he played for the men's soccer team. On March 16, 2021, he made his collegiate debut, recording a clean sheet, against the Calvin Knights. During the 2021 fall season, he faced four penalty kicks in the season, saving each one, including all three shots he faced in the shootout during the ACC quarter-finals. He was then named to the 2021 All-Tournament Team as Notre Dame won the ACC title. On September 19, 2023, he made a career high 12 saves in a 0–0 draw with the Akron Zips. He helped them win the ACC regular season title, but they were defeated in the Tournament Final, but still advanced to the national tournament. At the end of his senior season in 2023, he was named to the All-ACC First Team, the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team, the All-America First Team, the TopDrawerSoccer Best XI and was named the ACC Goalkeeper of the Year, TopDrawerSoccer National Player of the Year, and a Hermann Trophy semi-finalist.

In April 2022, he also joined the Notre Dame football team as the third-string punter, when the school was short of kickers during their spring preseason. However, he never took a snap in a match, due to NCAA rules on sports scholarship players. He had initially been offered a spot on the team as a freshman, but was told he would have to join the team as a full-time player, rather than to be a dual sport athlete. Upon coach Marcus Freeman taking over, he was invited to join the team as a reserve punter, while continuing on the soccer team, and was able to play in the school's Blue-Gold intrasquad spring games.

Club career

He played with Chicago FC United in USL League Two, beginning in 2019. In the summer of 2023, he was able to train with some Major League Soccer teams.

At the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Dowd was selected in the first round (sixth overall) by Chicago Fire FC. In January 2024, he signed a professional contract with the club. In late June 2024, he was loaned to Huntsville City FC for the remainder of the season. As part of the loan agreement, Nashville SC, the Major League Soccer parent club of Huntsville, maintains the option to make the move permanent and acquire Dowd via trade at the end of the loan. He also made a few bench appearances for Nashville in 2024.