The offseason gives players a chance to recover after a long year, but it is also when the foundation for the next season is built. This time of year lets players reset physically, sharpen up individually, and prepare for another demanding MLS campaign.
Through our Offseason Check-Ins series, we are catching up with D.C. United players around the world to hear how they are approaching the break, from training plans and personal goals to life off the field. Some remain in Leesburg working at the Inova Performance Complex, while others are spending time abroad as they gear up for the 2026 season.
This week, we checked in with goalkeeper Jordan Farr, who just completed his first season in Major League Soccer after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship on November 20, 2024.
The goalkeeper instantly became a Black-and-Red favorite, after his heroics in the fifth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against Charlotte FC where he saved four penalty kicks to help D.C. United advance to the quarterfinals. Farr made four total appearances (two starts) with 11 saves across all competitions this season.
Farr is a goalkeeper known not only for his shot-stopping and reliability, but also for his charismatic and uplifting presence that every locker room values. He played collegiately at Corban University where he established himself as a standout goalkeeper before taking the professional path through USL clubs Indy Eleven, San Antonio FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The Oregon native helped San Antonio FC win the USL regular-season title in 2022 with 15 clean sheets and was named the USL Goalkeeper of the Year after tying the league's single-season clean sheet record. He then joined D.C. United ahead of the 2025 MLS season, where he quickly endeared himself to teammates and fans.
Farr's debut for the Black-and-Red was nothing short of spectacular, as his first minutes for the club were in a penalty shootout in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The game was tied 3-3 after a D.C. United goal in the 104th minute of extra time from midfielder Jackson Hopkins. Farr was subbed in minutes before the final whistle of extra time, and the rest is history. He made four crucial saves, becoming the first goalkeeper in U.S Open Cup history to make four saves in a penalty shootout. With that he helped secure D.C. United's ticket to the quarterfinals.
Off the pitch, his personality and character have translted into a positive locker-room energy and he has made himself someone the fans can't help but root for. His teammates consistently point to his upbeat attitude and reliability as qualitites that elevate the group. Farr now heads into the offseason looking to take another step forward in his second year in MLS.
Tell us about your plans for the offseason. What does your training look like and how are you resetting personally?
“This was a very unique season for me. I felt like I was just getting started as far as the on field contributions at the end of the year. It's been interesting winding down and having a break but at the same time, remaining extremely fit and prepping for preseason and the upcoming season. Our plans as a family is to really not do a whole lot until December. We plan on going to Disney World and then back to Oregon for the Christmas season, then back here for preseason so lots of family time. This is also the first off-season in four years that my family hasn't had to move so we're honestly really excited to get some good family time."
Taking a look back at your first MLS season, what aspect of your game grew the most and what was the biggest adjustment you had to make in your first year in MLS?
"Jumping up from the USL, the speed of play and athleticism is a big acclimiation process especially for goalkeeper. Getting up to speed as far as how I'm seeing the ball, how the ball is being struck, and even small details like the type of ball that MLS uses [Adidas] as opposed to USL [Select]. As a keeper, you're just constantly manipulating the ball, the speed of ball, the weight and how it reacts to the turf, and not to get into the nitty-gritty, but it really was a period where I was like 'Okay what's this look like at such a high level [MLS] and how can I how can I elevate my game to match and then exceed my peers around me.
Naturally, when you're in the environment, your game is going to elevate. I feel overall everything from my tempo of play, my understanding of the system we like to play with, to the speed of the game, has evolved and I feel like a different goalkeeper. I feel like I've stepped up in a way at 31 that I could never imagine. I'm always someone who believes that there's always room for improvement but this year I took one of the biggest steps in my game. I'm really excited to continue on with that through offseason and into preseason."
With Thanksgiving here, what’s one thing from this past season, either on the field or off the field, that you are most thankful for?
“I have gotten to talk to at a few speaking arrangements here in the last couple weeks and I'm just really honored and thankful to be in the position that I am in; on an MLS team as a professional soccer player who's healthy at the moment. I get a coach a lot and kids who dream of becoming a pro, let alone playing in the MLS for such a renowned team like D.C. United, so I'm thankful just for the position I'm in. I realize that I'm completely blessed and it's just a privilege to be here. Getting to play soccer every day as a job and being someone that a younger generation looks up to is a real honor and something I want to stewarded really well.
Then obviously the thing I'm most thankful for are my kids and my family. Without a doubt they're the thing that grounds me and that makes me want to be the best possible version of myself all over. Not just on the soccer field, but as a human being as well, and how I represent them and my family back home in Oregon.
Third, but not in any particular order, I really am thankful for the community that's being built in DC, not only the Ashburn community that I'm finding myself in through church and through outings that me and my family do, but the fans and the support that the team has and has built. This year was ridiculously challenging on so many levels and to still have the level of interaction that I've gotten to have at the end of the season with fans from the Screaming Eagles, season ticket holders, and newcomers. The people here are really about the team and the passion that they have is something that I carry with me and want to extend to my teammates next season new or old. I am massively thankful for all of those things.”
If you could invite three D.C. United teammates to your Thanksgiving dinner, who would it be and why?
“I'm literally having Thanksgiving dinner with Connor and his family. They are top tier people and obviously they have kids so it's a no-brainer. He lives five doors down so it would be kind of rude not to. Then I would say Kye Rowles would be an absolute shoe-in. Not only will he bring some cool Ausie barbecue side dish but he's also just the easiest guy to get a get along with. Then off the top of my head, I'd love to invite Brandon Servania. I feel like Brandon just brings incredible vibes so we'd love to bless him and his wife with it with an amazing meal. Honestly it's hard to pick. I really do enjoy my teammates. My desire is literally have everybody over for Thanksgiving genuinely.”
How do you balance enjoying the holidays while staying on track in your offseason training? Is there one thing or someone that helps you stay focused during the offseason?
“It's something to note that having a family in the offseason is quite challenging compared to before having kids. You really want to give all of your time to your family, so managing that has been actually a really unique challenge, but we have found unique ways to do both. Something that we've added to our repertoire in our garage is as a squat rack and kettle bells along with some bands, so that's actually made it really easy for me to get a workout in. I have my ladders, my cones all these things for speed drills so I'm able to do all of that in my own home. That way I'm not missing out on their lives as much as I would be during the season. I've always been internally motivated during the offseason. I just pull people around me that want to train as hard as I do mostly, but I do a lot of stuff on my own.
"I also ramp up the coaching mostly because I know I have more time but also it really does keep me connected to the game. A lot of the times guys will go on offseason, and they get kind of stuck by themselves doing drills or in the weight room only. I find myself on the field two to three times a week coaching and so it just keeps me around the game and in a goalkeeper's mindset. Plus, I feel grateful to be able to help these kids who dream of being in my position.”
In your second season in MLS, what are your individual goals and what are you hoping for the team to accomplish this upcoming 2026 season?
"It's really easy to get wrapped up in the end goal, which is making playoffs and moving on from there. That's obviously what I want, but I think a really tangible goal is to have a solid preseason. One where we stay fit, healthy and get cohesive quickly as a group. As a player and organization as a whole, we need to have it at the forefront of our mind because that's going to set the tone for the success of the season. It starts with the first game, then goes onto the next game. I want to really get into the weeds of this season each and every game and make the most of each and every opportunity to improve. If we do that as a team and really fall in love with the process, we're going to be in positive entering in the season.”
