The New York Red Bulls are debuting a short-form documentary, “LEWIS MORGAN: THE LONG ROAD BACK,” a look at their star midfielder’s injury, recovery and now battle to the top of MLS’ Golden Boot race.
The Scottish midfielder underwent successful surgery on his hip in September of 2023.
“This is no easy road,” New York Red Bulls Physical Therapist Zach Cogen said of the surgery. “You’re staring down the barrel of a long-term recovery. It was never a doubt in my mind that he was going to attack it with everything he’s got.”
From that moment on, through work with the Red Bulls’ medical team, the documentary follows Morgan as he works back during the offseason, through preseason training, up to the moment he steps back on the pitch for the first time in a match.
“I've already missed so much football, that I don't want to miss another second of it,” Morgan said. “Every single day, every single weekend I was there.”
Morgan and Cogen sat for extended interview sessions to go in-detail about the injury, recovery and work the midfielder needs to do to prepare for matches.
“The biggest thing for me is that Zach took no days off,” Morgan said. “Every single time that I was in here, he was in helping me. And that's just what you've got to do got to sacrifice, the same way that he sacrificed time to try and get me back, I've got a duty to myself to make sure I take care of myself.”
So far, the work has been paying off.
“It’s pretty remarkable to see how far he’s come and what he’s doing right now,” Cogen said.
Morgan currently has seven goals and two assists in 771 minutes of action in the 2024 MLS season. He was named Player of the Matchday for Matchday 6 following a hat trick vs. Inter Miami CF.
The 27-year-old joined the Red Bulls on December 12, 2021 via trade. In 2022, Morgan was the Red Bulls leading goal scorer with 14 MLS regular season goals, which is the most goals scored by a midfielder in a single season in franchise history. The following season, Morgan suffered multiple injuries, which kept him sidelined for most of the 2023 season.
The documentary, produced in-house by the Red Bulls video team, premieres on the New York Red Bulls YouTube and MLS Season Pass Club Room. The production was led by Producer/Editor Richie Raspa, assisted by Producer/Editors Kris Wan, Malia Naugle and Alejandro Hinestroza. It was overseen by Anthony Ingrassia, Senior Manager of Video Production.
