Lewis Morgan's darkest moments during his recovery didn't come in the operating room or at rehab. They didn't even come on the nights at home when his hip was in severe pain from an injury that even left doctors stunned.
They came at Red Bull Arena surrounded by people who were desperate to cheer him on. It was in those moments that Morgan felt most alone and the most out of place.
"Not being able to play, you always feel like a little bit of a fraud," Morgan says. "I felt like, when I would go to our home games and you're not playing and you're in amongst the fans or whatever, you just sort of feel like you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing."
Those moments are long gone. They feel so far away. Wednesday's Comeback Player of the Year announcement confirmed that, as if Morgan's play this season hadn't already. The New York Red Bulls winger was honored with the 2024 MLS Comeback Player award, effectively closing the book on that long road to recovery. It was one that saw him miss nearly an entire season due to various hip issues. It was a year, in some ways, wasted, but one that also strengthened Morgan in ways he now understands.
Back for 2024, Morgan was also back to his best. After 14 goals and four assists in 2022, Morgan's 2024 campaign produced 13 goals and seven assists. After so much time out, oddly, not much had changed.
Well, that's not entirely true. His play notwithstanding, Morgan's changed a great deal, and now he has an award to remind him of how far he's come. GOAL sat down with Morgan to discuss his comeback, what he discovered on the journey, and the Red Bulls' hopes going forward in the latest Wednesday Convo.
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.