Jason Hernandez’s mind was working overtime when he came on as a late substitute in Toronto’s FC’s season finale Sunday against Atlanta United.
“Geez, a whole lot (of thoughts),” said the veteran defender. “Flashbacks to some of the early days and thinking ‘This could be it.’ So I was really happy to get on the field. It was just great.”
At 35, Hernandez may have played his last game for Toronto FC. If so, he will leave with the gratitude and respect of his teammates.
They note his work ethic, dedication, positivity and leadership.
“Jason’s been unbelievable, on the field and off the field,” said centre back Drew Moor, a 15-year veteran of the league.
“I’ve said it before you don’t win championships without guys like Jason Hernandez. He’s a good leader, he’s a good example for the young kids and he just battles. He just works so hard ... Obviously when he is on the field you’ve got somebody that you can rely on and trust. And he’s a voice there as well.
“If it was his last game, what a great career and a great example for so many young players and even guys like myself who aren’t much younger than him. He wore his heart on his sleeve and put everything he had into every moment on the field. A lot of guy would be extremely proud of the career that Jason has had, if this is it for him.
“From the second he walked through the door, just a fantastic presence in the group,” echoed captain Michael Bradley. “Somebody who for me personally played a huge role in things ... I could always look to Jason and know that he was right there with me.”
Coach Greg Vanney made a point of ensuring Hernandez got on the field Sunday.
“As I said to him and the team, he is an even better person than he is a player, which is an amazing attribute for him because he had a hell of a career,” Vanney told reporters after the game.
“He is just a first-class guy, always reliable. You can count on him. He brings people together. That’s why he’s here. You can’t have too many of those guys.”
Hernandez is not calling an end to his career yet. But he is realistic.
“It’s a good question,” he said when asked about his future. “I’ve obviously played 14 years, I’ve loved every second of it. Now I guess it’s up to not only myself but Greg, Tim, Bill (GM Tim Bezbatchenko and president Bill Manning) just to have a conversation and see where we want to go forward. I love being in Toronto, I love being here. It’s been great. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
After spending his first 12 seasons with the MetroStars, Chivas USA, San Jose and New York City FC, Hernandez signed with Toronto as a free agent in March 2017. The team declined his option following 2017 season but brought him back in mid-April when the backline was decimated by injury.
Carrying a modest salary of US$67,500 this season ($65,004 last year), Hernandez has been a bargain.
He saw action in 10 league games (534 minutes) this season, up slightly from eight games (526 minutes) last season.
“Whenever we need him to play, he was always there, he was always ready,” said Bradley. “He came through in a lot of big moments, whether we needed him as a starter, whether we needed him for a few minutes at the end of a game.”
“An incredible teammate, an incredible guy to have around here ... If that was it, we’re going to miss him and his presence in a big way. And if it wasn’t, even better,” he added.
Hernandez sacrificed to come to Toronto. When he first signed with the club, wife Kaley stayed in New York City, having just got a promotion. She joined him north of the border this season.
Over his MLS career, Hernandez has appeared in 293 regular-season games with an impressive 23,343 minutes played. That translates to roughly 389 hours or 16 days on the pitch.
And that’s not counting 10 post-season games (900 minutes).
A defender through and through, his last shot on target was in 2008 — one of three in his career (on 15 shots in total).
Drafted sixth overall by the MetroStars in the 2005 supplemental draft, Hernandez was traded to Chivas USA at the end of his rookie season. He spent two years in Los Angeles before moving north to San Jose in the 2007 expansion draft.
He helped the Earthquakes win the 2012 MLS Supporters’ Shield, signifying the league’s best record during the regular season, alongside current and former TFC defenders Justin Morrow and Steven Beitashour. He left San Jose for New York in the 2014 expansion draft.
The New York-born Hernandez, whose parents were born in Puerto Rico, won three caps with the Puerto Rican national team.