NJ/NY Gotham FC and United States women's national team defender Tierna Davidson tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee and has been added to the NWSL's season-ending injury list, Gotham FC announced on Wednesday.
Davidson exited Friday's scoreless draw with the Houston Dash just before halftime following a noncontact knee injury.
"We are heartbroken for Tierna," Gotham FC general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West said in a statement. "Our club will do everything we can to support her through this recovery and rehabilitation process. We know she will come back stronger than ever."
Davidson previously tore her ACL in her right knee in 2022. That injury sidelined her for most of that year, and the long recovery contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup squad.
She left Stanford University early to turn pro in 2019 and was on the roster for the USWNT's World Cup triumph that year.
She was a starting center back for the USWNT last year in its run to a fifth Olympic gold medal. Davidson was voted Gotham FC captain by her teammates prior to the start of the 2025 season in March.
"Tierna is a warrior, is our captain. It was devastating seeing her coming off the pitch how she did but then seeing her on the pitch at the end of the game, it was also a message from her to the team of how strong she is," Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós said after Friday's game.
Davidson joined Gotham as a free agent ahead of the 2024 NWSL season and quickly became one of the team's defensive anchors.
She was replaced by fullback Gisele Thompson on the USWNT roster that will face Brazil twice over the next week.
"Well, this is pretty raw still. It's very sad," USWNT midfielder Lindsey Heaps said about Davidson's ACL tear at a news conference Wednesday. "I feel for her. She is someone very important to this team.
"Everything that she does on the backline, her presence, her ability to play and especially how we're trying to develop our style of play with the ball. She is so, so good.
"She will be back. We've not lost her. She will be great, she will be good to go. We have her back. And again, it's just such an unfortunate thing that happens in the game. But we love her and we continue to develop, but T will be back."
The USWNT is also without fellow starting center back Naomi Girma, who has not played internationally in 2025 due to a lingering calf injury.