Brad Guzan returns to Atlanta United with dual role

The big, bald wall has made his triumphant return to Atlanta United, and if the social media team doesn’t cut a promo of Brad Guzan diving through doorways into different departmental offices holding a clipboard up at the training ground, they’re missing a huge opportunity. The club announced today that Guzan has been appointed “Club Ambassador and Sporting Advisor,” and will report directly to CSO and Sporting Director Chris Henderson.

While Brad sticking around the club was always a hope for Atlanta United fans, it was unsure what real capacity that could actually entail. This move sets Brad up to not only continue his community-driven work that everyone has come to know and love, but also gives him access to the various departments within the organization from which to learn, highlight, and offer his unique opinion on how to improve. The club specifically stated that he’ll be working very closely with the entire soccer operations team, gaining hands-on experience across “player recruitment, scouting, data and analytics, and youth development.”

“We are honored to keep Brad in the Atlanta United family,” said Chris Henderson, Atlanta United Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director. “Brad is uniquely positioned to add value to our organization while he continues to develop his professional skillset in this next phase of his career. The breadth of Brad’s role will allow him to combine his championship experience as a player with an unmatched institutional knowledge of our club to positively impact our organization.”

“Atlanta United has meant so much to me and so much to my family,” Brad said in an interview with local Atlanta journalists. “It was a bit of a no brainer.”

He also specifically mentioned his unique perspective to a front office role as someone who has been a part of so many experiences in the soccer sphere, but specifically how he’s been a part of Atlanta United. His relationships and coming directly from the pitch gives him a valuable insight into other viewpoints when decisions are being made.

“I can certainly add value to these areas. The conversations, you know, that happen inside of a locker room, right? The feeling within the side of the locker room from a player’s perspective when certain decisions are being made whether it’s players, whether it’s data, whether it’s all these things, I think it’s a unique perspective when you’re able to add someone that has finished as recently as I have…I know I don’t have all the answers, but ‘Hey, from a player’s perspective, this is where things didn’t click.’

Brad also noted how grateful he is to be able to work alongside Tata Martino once again, noting that “This whole club runs off the first team.”

“…those conversations whether it be with Tata, whether it be with this staff, whether it be with the players, something that I’m excited about to again lend any sort of feedback or experience that I’ve had while here and [saying] ‘Hey Tata, while you weren’t here this is where I think we struggled and this is where things kind of went wrong for us’ or ‘Hey, I remember in ’18 this was really productive when you were doing XYZ.”

But the front office aspect is only one half of the job. The “Club Ambassador” portion of the role is something he’s not only passionate about, but something he’ll have much more time to pursue – including continuing his position as an ambassador for the Unified Team.

“And, you know, as a player, you can only really do so much, right? Your job is to make sure you perform on the field and make sure, one, you’re mentally in a space to be able to go and compete every day, but also physically, right? And so now if you’re having to drive X amount of hours to an appearance or do this or do that, it becomes a little bit more difficult…We’re built off of our 17s and the fans and supporters that have made this club what it is. And so now being able to get out and spend more time with them, spend more time in the community and continue to increase what Atlanta United is, who we are as a club across not only Atlanta, but Georgia and ultimately the world.”

“We are incredibly fortunate to have Brad in the fold as we begin 2026, a critical year for our club and for Atlanta as the epicenter of soccer in America,” said Skate Noftsinger, Atlanta United Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer. “Brad’s championship experience, winning mindset and commitment to community will be integral assets as we aim to entertain and unite the entire Atlanta community this season and beyond.”

Fully expect to see Brad’s face around the club’s various media projects going forward, as he incorporates some of his broadcasting experience with the Five Stripe’s new studio and podcasting additions to the training ground. At least, when he isn’t learning the other front office ropes. Welcome back, Brad!

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