Reggie Cannon Bio
Reginald Jacob Cannon (born June 11, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids. A product of the FC Dallas academy and one year at the University of California, Los Angeles, Cannon has built a career that has spanned Major League Soccer, the Portuguese Primeira Liga, the EFL Championship, and the United States men’s national team. He has represented the United States at multiple CONCACAF tournaments, winning the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.
Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall, Cannon combines defensive awareness with the pace and attacking instincts that have made him a reliable option at right-back throughout his professional career. Since turning professional in 2017, he has accumulated more than 150 senior appearances across club and country and continues to be a steady contributor at the highest level of American soccer.
Early Life and Background
Reginald Jacob Cannon was born on June 11, 1998, in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. He grew up with a clear connection to sport in his family, as he is the grandson of atmospheric scientist Dr. Warren Washington, and his step-sister, Bianca Smith, went on to become a professional baseball coach.
Cannon attended Grapevine Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas, where he played high school soccer under coach Matt McKinney. During his freshman year, Grapevine Faith won the TAPPS Division 2 Texas state championship in boys’ soccer, an early success that helped shape his competitive outlook.
Outside of high school competition, Cannon joined the FC Dallas academy and quickly developed a reputation as a polished defender. He won back-to-back national championships with the FC Dallas academy before his senior year, and the experience prepared him to step directly into the college and professional ranks.
Path to Soccer
After completing his academy development with FC Dallas, Cannon enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2016, where he played one year of college soccer for the UCLA Bruins. He was one of three players and the only freshman to appear in and start every match for the Bruins, finishing the year having played 1,753 minutes, the third most on the team.
Across his 20 appearances for UCLA, Cannon demonstrated the consistency and maturity that had marked his time in the FC Dallas academy. His college form, combined with his familiarity with FC Dallas’s system, made him a natural candidate for the club’s professional pathway.
On December 22, 2016, Cannon left college and signed a homegrown player contract with FC Dallas, becoming the 18th homegrown player in the club’s history. The deal formally launched his professional career and tied his early development to the same organization that had nurtured him as a teenager.
Reggie Cannon Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Cannon made his professional debut on June 14, 2017, when he started in a 2–1 win over Tulsa Roughnecks in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Later that year, on September 2, he made his Major League Soccer debut for FC Dallas in a 2–2 home tie against the New York Red Bulls, coming on as an added-time substitute for Michael Barrios.
In the 2018 season, Cannon cemented his place as a regular starter for FC Dallas. He made his first MLS start in the team’s opening match, a 1–1 home tie with Real Salt Lake on March 4, and finished the year with 34 appearances and one goal, including a strike that opened a 2–2 tie against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Toyota Stadium on May 19.
The 2019 season saw Cannon play 29 games for Dallas and score two goals, a career high for the defender at that point. By the end of the 2019 campaign, he had totaled 75 senior appearances for FC Dallas across all competitions.
FC Dallas Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Cannon’s emergence as a starter in 2018 marked the beginning of his breakthrough at FC Dallas. With regular minutes and the freedom to push forward, he contributed on both sides of the ball, providing defensive cover on the right flank while also getting forward to support attacks.
His 2019 campaign reinforced that growth, with two goals and 29 appearances reflecting his importance to head coach Luchi Gonzalez’s plans. The performances drew transfer speculation from European clubs during the off-season.
In March 2020, amid that speculation, Cannon signed a new, four-year contract with a team option to remain at FC Dallas. He started the first two games of the 2020 season before Major League Soccer went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FC Dallas ultimately did not take part in the MLS is Back Tournament after ten players and one staff member tested positive for coronavirus.
Boavista Era (2020–2023)
On September 9, 2020, FC Dallas announced an agreement with Portuguese Primeira Liga side Boavista F.C. for the transfer of Cannon in a deal worth up to $3.5 million, along with a 25–50% sell-on fee. He debuted for Boavista in the team’s 2020–21 Primeira Liga opener against C.D. Nacional, a 3–3 draw.
Cannon spent three seasons in Porto, experiencing both the highs and lows of European football. On November 5, 2021, he was sent off for the first time as a professional in a 5–2 home loss to F.C. Famalicão, for a foul on Iván Jaime. In the 2022–23 season, he was sent off two more times, in a 4–1 home loss to city rivals FC Porto and in a 1–0 win over Gil Vicente F.C. at the Estádio do Bessa.
In June 2023, Cannon unilaterally terminated his contract, alleging unpaid wages. Boavista chairman Vítor Murta denied the claims and indicated the club would pursue the matter in court. In July 2025, the Court of Arbitration for Sport delivered the final judgment, awarding Cannon €400,000.
Queens Park Rangers Era (2023–2024)
On September 26, 2023, Cannon officially joined English club Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer, signing a four-year deal. The move gave him a fresh start in the EFL Championship after his exit from Boavista.
He played 21 games during his one season at Queens Park Rangers, serving as a regular contributor on the right side of the defense. On August 30, 2024, Cannon left the club by mutual consent, opening the door to his return to Major League Soccer.
Colorado Rapids Era (2024–Present)
On September 11, 2024, Cannon was announced at Colorado Rapids on a contract running through the end of the 2027 season, with an option for 2028. The signing brought him back to Major League Soccer and reunited him with the league where he had begun his professional career.
Eleven days after his arrival, in his second appearance and first start, Cannon scored to open a 2–0 home win over Toronto FC that sent Colorado Rapids into the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs. The quick contribution underscored his value as an attacking full-back and provided early momentum for his time in Colorado.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cannon is a right-back whose game blends defensive responsibility with regular forward runs. He reads the play well on his side of the field, commits in the tackle, and uses his pace to recover position. Going forward, he is willing to overlap, deliver crosses, and join attacks in the final third, which has produced goal contributions at both club and international level.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Cannon’s signature moments are his senior international debut for the United States on October 16, 2018, against Peru, his first senior international goal in a 4–0 friendly win over Costa Rica at Rio Tinto Stadium, and his role in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup triumph. He has also represented the country in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup final and the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League final, milestones that frame his place in the national team setup.
Reggie Cannon Career Wins
Across his time with FC Dallas, Boavista, Queens Park Rangers, and Colorado Rapids, Cannon has accumulated more than 150 senior appearances for club and country, with his goals and assists reflecting the attacking instincts of a modern full-back. While he is best known for his defensive work, his goals for FC Dallas and for the United States national team have been defining contributions at key moments.
Major Tournament Highlights
Cannon played four matches at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, including the 1–0 final loss to Mexico. He followed that with four appearances at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, starting in the 1–0 final win over Mexico on August 1 that delivered the title to the United States.
He also played a central role in the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals, coming on as a substitute in the 3–2 final win over Mexico on June 6, 2021. He was not selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad, as Dest, Moore, Scally, and Yedlin were chosen at right-back.
Other Wins and Performances
Cannon won back-to-back national championships with the FC Dallas academy, captured the TAPPS Division 2 Texas state championship with Grapevine Faith, and added the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League title with the United States. His 2018 and 2019 seasons with FC Dallas further established him as a reliable starter at Major League Soccer level.
Reggie Cannon Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cannon is the grandson of atmospheric scientist Dr. Warren Washington, a connection that has placed him within a family of accomplished professionals outside of sport. His step-sister, Bianca Smith, is a professional baseball coach, extending the family’s ties to athletics in a different discipline.
Personal Life
Cannon married his wife, Kendall, in April 2020. The couple has been a consistent presence in his life as he has moved between clubs in the United States, Portugal, and England.
Outside of family, Cannon has been outspoken on social issues. On August 12, 2020, he spoke out against FC Dallas fans who booed and threw a bottle at players before a 0–1 loss against Nashville SC because the players knelt during the national anthem in solidarity of the Black Lives Matter movement, calling the fans’ actions “disgusting.” He received racist comments and death threats, and said in March 2021 that he had left the United States because his safety had been “compromised” since the kneeling.
2025 Season Performance
Cannon’s move to Colorado Rapids in September 2024 came with a contract through the end of the 2027 season, with an option for 2028, signaling a long-term commitment to the club. His early impact, including a goal in his first start that helped send Colorado into the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, gave the 2025 season a strong foundation.
Entering 2025, Cannon is expected to remain a regular starter at right-back for Colorado Rapids, providing experience on the right side of the defense and supporting the team’s attacking play from wide areas. His familiarity with Major League Soccer, combined with three years of top-flight European experience at Boavista and a season in the EFL Championship with Queens Park Rangers, positions him as a leader in the locker room.
Key storylines to watch in 2025 include how Cannon builds on his playoff-clinching debut goal, his role in shaping Colorado’s defensive shape, and whether he can add to his tally from the right flank. With the club invested in him through 2027, the 2025 season offers a chance to cement his status as a long-term building block for Colorado Rapids.
