Derrick Etienne Jr. finds new lease on life with Toronto FC

Sometimes things don’t work for MLS players when they change teams and just need to move on to get their careers back on track. 

That’s the situation that Derrick Etienne Jr. found himself in at Atlanta United after signing with the club as a free agent prior to the 2023 season. Etienne Jr. struggled for opportunities in Atlanta, making just 25 appearances while recording two assists with no goals. 

It was a far cry from his previous tenure with the Columbus Crew where he scored 12 goals and tallied 14 assists in 90 games across three campaigns – one of his goals came against the Seattle Sounders in the Crew's 2021 MLS Cup victory.  

A trade to Toronto FC late last month provided the Haitian international winger a lifeline, a chance to get his career back on track after it stalled over the last year and a bit in Georgia. He’s only been in town for a few weeks, but so far, Etienne Jr. has looked solid in three MLS appearances for TFC.