Tayvon Gray signed through 2025

Tayvon Gray will be wearing Bronx Blue for a few more years.

Earlier today, New York City FC announced that the 20-year-old defender signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club through 2025. The contract includes an option for 2026.

In some ways, Gray's contract extension is a corollary to yesterday's announcement that Anton Tinnerholm is returning to his native Sweden to play for his former club Malmö FF. Since joining the club in 2018 Tinnerholm locked down the starting job at right-back, but an Achilles injury at the end of the 2021 season sidelined him just before the start of the playoffs. A young and relatively untested Gray was called on to step into the right-back position during the 2021 postseason, and he was one of the revelations in NYCFC’s successful campaign to win the MLS Cup.

The Homegrown was a starter for most of the 2022 season, but once Tinnerholm returned to fitness the two pooled at right-back. Gray also played center-back at various points this past year.

Despite his youth, Gray is a fearless and confident player who is unafraid to challenge the league’s marquee attackers. He is particularly good when breaking apart the opponent’s attacking dribble: Gray is in the 96th percentile for attacking dribblers and 97th percentile for not being beaten on a dribbler per FBRef.

Born in the Bronx, Gray featured in 27 games in the 2022 season, logging 1878 minutes and making 22 starts. He provided two assists, committed just 14 fouls, and was shown only one yellow card.

Gray’s guaranteed compensation in 2022 was $144,788.