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He missed preseason and the season opener as he recovered from a knee injury suffered late in the 2024 season. He returned and played five games, only to hurt his knee again in a collision in a game against Austin. He missed seven games and then three games after he came back, he overextended his knee taking a shot from distance and hurt it again, missing another seven games. (鈥淐ompletely hit the reset button on that, which sucked,鈥� he said.) When he returned from that injury, he got a red card after 10 minutes of action and, because of the suspension and an off week for City SC, his return to the starting lineup was pushed back at least three weeks. Every time he鈥檚 about to get started, he stops.

鈥淚t feels like I've been playing catch up the whole year,鈥� he said Tuesday.

If all goes right, Durkin should be able to return to the starting lineup for City SC on Saturday when it faces the Chicago Fire in Bridgeview, Ill. Though he hasn鈥檛 played in an MLS game since July 26, Durkin was able to play a half in City SC鈥檚 friendly with Aston Villa and 70 minutes on Sunday with City2 to give himself a chance to close out a forgettable season, for him and the team, with some semblance of normalcy over the final nine games.

鈥淚t's been a turbulent season for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think it's been the hardest season for me personally, in terms of just dealing with injuries, setbacks from those injuries. It's been really tough. But I'd like to think now that I'm beyond all that stuff, and now I can really start to put my head down and get to work, and then you pile on the red card 10 minutes back into to my appearance. That took a little bit of a hit on the confidence, for sure, but it's all about how you respond from those moments.

鈥淚鈥檓 finally able to strike through the ball with my right foot, which was taking a really long time to feel no pain. The fitness is starting to come back, and now it鈥檚 just continuing to get sharper and sharper with the ball.鈥�

Durkin had been one of the team鈥檚 ironmen, going the full 90 minutes 26 times in 2024 and was second among field players in minutes played. This season, he鈥檚 gone 90 minutes twice, playing just 10 games.

鈥淚 was fortunate to have the Aston Villa game on Wednesday (after the red card) to kind of put that behind me a little bit,鈥� Durkin said. 鈥淚t really sucked to let my team down in that moment, for everybody to be excited for me to kind of come back and looking forward to being back on the field and to have that red card off of something that was so stupid. Yeah, it was unfortunate.鈥�

The red card came at a time when City SC was still dealing with injuries everywhere and Durkin, who usually plays defensive midfield, had gone into the game as a center back. A ball was played into Minnesota鈥檚 Kelvin Yeboah in the box, surrounded by three City SC players, and it went south from there. It led to a penalty kick that tied the game and an eventual Minnesota win.

鈥淚 kind of took my first step forward,鈥� Durkin said. 鈥淭he ball went 10, 15, yards in the air. So as I'm tracking it, he does a really good job of just reacting right away. And next thing I know, I'm looking at the ball, and he's already in front of me, and I just put my hand on his shoulder, and then he falls. I don't even really pull him. So as soon as he feels contact, he falls. So he does well with it. So hat off (to him).鈥�

The one ray of sunshine amid a dreadful season has been the birth of his son, Ronan, in June. The lack of playing time has afforded him more Dad time.

鈥淚t's been tough,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut I've had the birth of my son in that process, and I've been able to help support my wife and see our son grow, he鈥檚 turning 8 weeks on Thursday. So it's just as much as my professional life has been really frustrating, my personal life has had some really positive moments as well. So it's a bit of balancing of both. Obviously, I prioritize my family more than anything else, so that's been really fun to see. But now I鈥檓 done with the quality Dad time. I鈥檓 ready to play soccer.鈥�

There鈥檚 one more challenge for Durkin. His contract is up after this season, with the club holding an option. While he would seem to be a lock to have his option picked up by the team, it just adds one more bit of uncertainty to what鈥檚 going on.

鈥淐ontractually, it's tough,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an option year and I haven't been able to prove myself much on the field this year, so it's been tough, and I have my sights on trying to figure out that you're as strong as I possibly can, and then that's the goal.

鈥淚t's not my decision. It's out of my control. So when there's something that's not in your control, it's always difficult to just have that looming over. But I do believe that with the right mentality every day, proving yourself, all things that I hold dear to me, and the identity I have as a player, I think that that will speak. So that's all I can do.鈥�

Jeong fined by league

Sangbin Jeong was fined an unspecified amount by the league鈥檚 disciplinary committee for an 鈥渋nappropriate gesture鈥� in the 66th minute. That鈥檚 when he scored his goal, and after he scored, he simulated shooting a weapon, something the league has frowned on in recent years and fined other players for doing.