DaMarcus Beasley on his last professional game
An emotional DaMarcus Beasley thanked the fans for their support throughout his career. (Courtesy of Houston Dynamo)

DaMarcus Beasley thrilled to leave the game on a high road

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HOUSTON – In a career spanning 20 years, DaMarcus Beasley always kept his emotions in check. On Sunday against the LA Galaxy — his last game as a professional player — they overwhelmed him.

It started around the 83rd minute when the Houston Dynamo — where Beasley played the last five and a half seasons — scored the go-ahead goal in an eventual 4-2 win.

Run DMB, as he was known throughout his career, started jogging back to his left-back position after celebrating the goal.

“I got tears in my eyes,” Beasley said of when the emotions started coming over him.

Moments later, Davy Arnaud, the Dynamo’s interim head coach, looked at Beasley. Arnaud wanted to sub Beasley off to give him a proper send-off.

The Forth Wayne, Indiana native replied by holding up three fingers. He wanted three more minutes on the pitch before he finally hanged up his boots.

“It was hard to hold that emotion because I knew it was the end. But it’s so crazy because there were so many emotions.,” Beasley said.

“Obviously, I’m leaving the game but we had just scored. So it was happy tears.  It wasn’t like I was sad that I was leaving the game. That was more so happy tears like, ‘Oh man this is what I want.’ This is exactly how I wanted it to end. Going out on a high road.”

But those three extra minutes proved to be though. Hold it together, Beasley kept telling himself, while he was playing. Until finally, he couldn’t hold it anymore. 

When Davy subbed him off, Beasley slowly jogged off the field. Stopping to hug his teammates, and some LA Galaxy players as well.

As was to be expected, the 21,777 fans in attendance gave Run DMB a standing ovation as he walked off the field, and kept applauding the one-time winger even after he reached the bench.

Fans celebrate Beasley

Before the game, the Dynamo support groups displayed their affection via tifo.

DaMarcus Beasley tifo
The Houston Dynamo support groups display a DaMarcus Beasley tifo before the team’s game against the LA Galaxy. (Courtesy of Houston Dynamo)

After the game, Houston Dynamo players and coaches gather at midfield, and together with Beasley, watched a video on the scoreboard. The video played a string of clips from Beasley’s career.

After the video, Beasley got on the mic and shared some words.

“I wouldn’t think of another club to end my career with,” Beasley said.

He would share more words. Stopping ever so often to wipe tears from his face. At one point choking back the tears.

“It means a lot,” Beasley said to the fans.

Dynamo teammates praise Beasley

Before the game, Beasley told his teammates that Sunday’s match wasn’t about him, but about the team. He wanted to end the season on a high note, especially considering the season La Naranja went through.

Mission accomplished.

The Dynamo came back twice to tie the game before finally taking the lead for good in the 83rd minute. After the game, his teammates were more than happy to heap praise on Beasley.

Mauro Manotas remembers joining the Dynamo in 2015 and within a couple of days telling Beasley that he had a wish to have a Beasley U.S. Men’s National Team jersey. Sometime later, Beasley granted his wish, giving him his 2014 World Cup jersey.

Manotas said that gesture will stay with him for the rest of his life.

“He’s a great example. A person that gave it all on the field,” Manotas said. “A great person with incredible humility. I have many memories with him.”

Memo Rodriguez, who scored in extra time, called Beasley a legend in the U.S.

“Just to send him off on a victory, it’s amazing for us and amazing for him to end his long career in a victory,” Rodriguez said. “We’re going to miss him. He was a great player and an even better person and I think everyone has learned something from him.”

Beasley rides off into the sunset

Beasley will go down as one of the great in the U.S. Post-game, he mentioned that physically, he could still play, but his mind was made up. Even if he did joke about maybe not retiring.

“My last game, we got a win. I can definitely retire now. If we would have lost, I would have come back,” Beasley said before quickly saying he was kidding.

With his playing career over, Beasley will stick around in Houston. And during his message to the fans, he made sure to share that message, telling them that Houston is his home.

“I’m not gonna say goodbye,” Beasley said. “I’ll say see you later.