Clint Dempsey has that thirst for soccer again.
The U.S. men’s national team legend and former Sounder has healed from an abrupt ending to his playing career and is embracing frequent gigs to talk about his favorite sport. The latest is Dempsey joining CBS Sports soccer host Kate Abdo and analysts Charlie Davies and Maurice Edu in debuting a new show called “Kickin’ It,” where notables from the soccer world sit down with the quartet for an unfiltered interview.
The weekly program premieres Sept. 20 on the CBS Sports Golazo Network.
“I needed like two years because I got burned out and also there was that feeling of not being able to play at my best ever since I had those two heart procedures; that was part of the frustration for me toward the end,” Dempsey said of his non-life-threatening heart surgeries and minor injuries when he announced his retirement via a social media post in August 2018.
Dempsey moved to his wife’s home state of North Carolina and detached from soccer. His return was in June 2021 through in-studio analysis of the Stars & Stripes’ CONCACAF Nations League championship run.
It was the USMNT’s first regional trophy since Dempsey led the country to a Gold Cup title in 2017.
“Seeing a lot of young guys getting their first trophy and (USMNT coach Gregg) Berhalter getting his first trophy, that was exciting,” Dempsey said. “Then it’s a matter of if people call you back and want you to do more stuff.”
Dempsey, 40, isn’t campaigning for a full-time broadcasting job. He’s a married father of six children who insists on being present for his kids’ soccer matches and school events. His oldest son is part of the Charlotte FC academy.
The busy household is partly why Dempsey hasn’t been back to Seattle since leaving after the school year in June 2019. He does keep an eye on his former club, feeling pride in their MLS Cup victory that year and the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League title.
Dempsey, who was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame last year, led the Sounders to their Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup wins in 2014. He was part of the 2016 MLS Cup roster and finished his stint in Seattle with 53 goals and 29 assists across all league competitions.
“I’m done. I went and saw the doctor, so if we get pregnant again, we’re going to have some answering to do,” Dempsey said of his expanded family since he left. “We’ve got a futsal team with a sub.”
The candid comment is an example of the type of personal stories Dempsey said viewers will hear during the “Kickin’ It” shows. CBS is still lining up guests, but it will be a mix of men and women.
“There are things that I found out about Charlie from the show that I never knew and I played with Charlie for years and years,” Dempsey said of his former USMNT teammate. “It’s a breath of fresh air for me. It reminds me of being back at national team camps and for me, that’s what attracted me to going to that space … I’m going with the flow. As long as I enjoy it, I’m going to keep doing it.”
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