Mentality will be key for Eryk Williamson as he looks to bounce back from two major injuries with Charlotte FC
By Andrew Crowell
Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC
A midfield reinforcement has arrived this transfer window in the form of American midfielder Eryk Williamson. The 27-year-old center midfielder comes to Charlotte from the Portland Timbers, where he has spent the last seven seasons. Before his tenure with the Timbers, he was a member of the D.C. United Youth Academy, following two seasons with the University of Maryland. As far as Williamson’s injury history goes, he has avoided chronic injury over the years. Unfortunately, he has dealt with two ACL tears in the past four campaigns.
The first ACL injury came in August of 2021 when the Timbers took on the Seattle Sounders. Williamson went down before being treated by the physio staff. After several minutes, Williamson was stretchered off and tests later revealed a left ACL tear. He missed 34 games but worked his way back to return in the 2022 season.
The second ACL injury occurred in April of 2023. The midfielder played for 90 minutes against FC Dallas before feeling swelling and discomfort. Upon evaluation by the team's medical staff when they returned to Portland, they sent him for more scans that revealed the tear. He ended up missing 41 games during this second severe injury stint.
It is not uncommon for athletes to injure the opposite knee upon return from injury of the other knee. Professional athletes are often rushed back as soon as possible to get back on the field which sometimes can result in a second injury. This is not the case for Williamson though, as his injury occurred around 20 months after the initial one. However, research suggests that athletes are at risk of an opposite knee injury for 1-4 years after an ACL reconstruction.
The mental side of an ACL recovery is often the toughest part, as the player attempts to trust in the same movements they did so easily before the injury. Williamson worked his way back not once but twice from an ACL injury, a mentality that can’t be taught. He is sure to be a hard worker on the pitch, which will also influence his teammates in the locker room.
The US international played in the majority of games last season (32 appearances in all competitions), but struggled to earn starts (12 starts in all comp.). His need for more time in the recovery process could be a reason for the limited minutes. This means he could make significant progress in 2025.
Williamson will be a great balanced midfielder to add to Charlotte’s squad and will surely fight for a starting spot in the team as long as he can stay healthy. Team captain and fellow midfielder, Ashley Westwood, fought his way back from a devastating injury to be the leader of Charlotte FC on and off the pitch. If Williamson embodies some of that same grit, he will find regular minutes in Charlotte and will be a bargain of a transfer.
Disclaimer: None of my work should be taken as medical advice. All opinions are my own.
