Tobin Heath: Forever a Thorn

Tobin Heath signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a Portland Thorn, and more than 22,000 fans filled Providence Park to send her off, the biggest Thorns crowd since 2024. The morning after, she sat down with Karina LeBlanc, her teammate from that first 2013 season, for a conversation about Portland, what they built here, and the ending she never got to have. Tobin talks about landing in Portland almost by accident, listing it low on her allocation preferences because everyone else wanted it, and walking out for that first game to chants written specifically for her. She breaks down the ingredients she believes this city has that you cannot copy and paste: community, inclusion, craftsmanship, and pride in what is made here. She talks about the freedom to entertain, the tension between the art and science of winning, and what made playing in front of Portland fans different from anywhere else. The conversation also includes a surprise appearance from Christen Press, who joins to reflect on the retirement ceremony, what the moment meant, and Tobin’s legacy.   Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.