When Aaron Long went down with an Achilles tendon injury in what was just the fifth game of the 2021 season, New York Red Bulls fans were distraught.
Many thought the season was over, that the already leaky defense wouldn’t be able to cope without the experienced US international after the departure of longtime partner Tim Parker. But up stepped Sean Nealis, an unheralded SuperDraft pick who had been an occasional rotation option, to steady the sinking ship. Despite not playing with a consistent center-back partner, or even a consistent formation, Nealis raised his game to match the moment and had a career season, earning a new contract and cementing his spot in this season’s squad.