The Jeff Larentowicz era at Atlanta United has come to an end

Jeff Larentowicz has made 121 appearances for Atlanta United, if you count regular season and playoffs. When you throw in U.S. Open Cup, Concacaf Champions League and Campeones Cup, it’s 131.

That’s just over 25 percent of a long, successful Major League Soccer career that has spanned 5 clubs, 16 seasons, and 515 games. There’s also 5 trophies, as well.

It’s not known if the 37-year-old will return for a 17th season, but if he does, it will not be with Atlanta United, who announced that his option for 2021 has been declined—signaling the end of this chapter of his career.

“Jeff is going to take some time to think about what he’s going to do for next year,” vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said during a virtual media session following the club’s announcement of its year-end roster moves. “He’s had a fantastic career for us here. ... You can’t say enough nice things about Jeff and how much he meant to this club and how much he meant to this city. And when the time comes, we really would look forward to welcoming him back at Mercedes-Benz to appreciate him and all he’s done for this club.”

Atlanta United posted a 90-second retrospective of Larentowicz’s career with the club shortly after announcing the news:

As an original Five Stripe, Larentowicz helped lay the groundwork for the club’s success, despite it having an off year in 2020. While he wasn’t the face of the team, he certainly represented the heart and soul of it as his hard work ethic and leadership will be hard to replace.

Thanks for everything, Jeff.

(We’ll do a deeper dive into his Atlanta career soon, but what are some of your favorite Larentowicz memories? Feel free to leave them in the comments.)