Three-and-a-half years since leaving Major League Soccer for Europe, Griffin Yow is back and eager to be part of the New England Revolution’s new project under head coach Marko Mitrovic.
Yow is four matches into the 2026 MLS campaign with the Revs, making a new chapter in his playing career. After coming up through the DC United academy, Yow is now applying his traits at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough as a much more seasoned player to when he made his MLS debut back in 2019.
Although the Revs have lost three of their opening four matches, Yow is positive that things will turn around.
“I think as a team, it’s been quite good to be honest,” Yow told SBI in an interview. “I think we’re trending in an upward direction. Preseason’s always going to be a little bit different than the regular season. I think in preseason things went really well and we’ve been getting better and better as the games have been going on. Even though the last result may not coincide with that, I think myself and the team and the coaching staff all feel that it’s definitely trending in a positive direction. That’s the kind of the trend that you want.”
Yow’s move to New England not only provided him with a new opportunity to play, but also a reconnection with Mitrovic. Mitrovic previously served as head coach of multiple U.S. youth national teams including the Under-19’s, Under-20’s, and Under-23’s, including leading the 2024 Men’s Olympic Team.
Yow featured for the Olympic Team in Paris, helping the Americans reach the quarterfinal round before suffering elimination at the hands of Morocco. Although the loss marked a painful exit for the squad, Yow got to show Mitrovic his abilities in a major competition.
The familiarity between the two helped influence Yow’s decision to leave Belgium and move to the Revolution.
“With my transfer to the Revs, after speaking with Marko and speaking with some of the other staff, they kind of gave me that feeling that I will be relied on here, I will be counted on,” Yow said. “To have that role on a team is a really good thing and it’s something that I wanted to experience.
“I think it’s a really positive relationship,” Yow added about his relationship with Mitrovic. Coming back here, he knows what I’m capable of, so there wasn’t this feeling that I needed to impress him or I needed to immediately prove myself to him. It was more along the lines of him knowing my qualities, knowing what I’m capable of, and it is really good to have that relationship with a coach. I’ve always liked the way that he runs a team. The trainings, the games, his tactics, his style, his communication with the players, his communication with me. It’s all really positive.”
Five years since the Revolution lifted the Supporters’ Shield in 2021, they are struggling to get back being a consistent threat in MLS. New England has failed to make the playoffs in three of the last four seasons and are still chasing that elusive first MLS Cup in franchise history.
Mitrovic’s arrival has led to an influx of young talent being added into the squad including Yow, Ethan Kohler, and Brooklyn Raines. In addition, the Revs have many key veterans to lean on including U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Matt Turner, former MLS MVP Carles Gil, and longtime players Matt Polster and Andrew Farrell.
Yow remains excited about the squad’s future, knowing that bringing home silverware is the club’s major goal going forward.
“I think what excited me was that you could kind of see that they were rebuilding in some areas and they also had a solid core in correlation with [Matt] Turner, [Andrew] Farrell and [Matt] Polster,” Yow said. “I could name a bunch of other names too because they had that core, but they also had a fresh rebuild coming in. I was really excited to be part of that rebuild, even with the announcement of the stadium being built. It’s just a really good place to be.
“The goal is always going to be MLS Cup,” he added. I always want to reach for the stars, I’ve always been a big believer in that, so I think that should always be our goal. At the same time, I think we need to take it game-by-game, and that’s kind of been a good message that’s been voiced to us, You want to have the Supporters’ Shield, you want to be top of the league, make the playoffs and win MLS Cup, but you can’t expect it all right now. I think if just keep on our track and become a little more consistent, it’s going to be a really positive season.”
Sandwiched between Yow’s two separate MLS spells was his four seasons with Belgian first-tier side Westerlo. After making just five appearances during the 2022-23 campaign, Yow eventually found his groove over his next two seasons.
The skillful winger scored 15 goals and added eight assists in 64 appearances, helping Westerlo avoid any potential relegation worries from the Belgian First Division. He delivered several Man of the Match performances, registered one multi-goal outing, and registered over 5,000 minutes of game time in one of Europe’s more competitive leagues.
Yow reflected on the importance of a promotion-relegation division can have on a player, especially one that is experiencing it for the first time.
“It was definitely a wakeup call for me because I had never played in it, but obviously heard about it,” Yow said. “It’s different to experience that and experience the pressure that it brings when you’re down a couple of games, down some points and further down the table. It gets really tense and there’s a lot of pressure, but on the flip side, when things are going well and you’re able to kind of crawl out of that hole, the feeling, excitement and positivity is huge and amazing.
“I really enjoyed it, I think it grew me to play under pressure, to play when the fans are backing you, but they also expect you to stay in the first division,” he added. “Belgium as a whole, I grew up there on and off the field. I had to mature a lot as a player and as a man. I think it was a very positive experience.”
Yow’s time at Westerlo not only led to his development on and off the field, but also to connect with a fellow American player along the way. Bryan Reynolds was also at Westerlo during Yow’s time there and remains a consistent starter for the club this season.
Similar to Yow, Reynolds came up through the MLS ranks, featuring for FC Dallas before moving to AS Roma and subsequently Westerlo. The 24-year-old Reynolds has made 136 appearances for the club to date, logging over 10,000 minutes of playing time in the first division.
Yow is grateful to have had Reynolds as a close friend in Belgium, admitting his entire process was smoother because of it.
“It made it unbelievable,” Yow said. “I always thank the Lord that he was there because I think it definitely could have gone a different way for the both of us. We were both kind of were feeding off of each other, especially that first year there, because we kind of arrived around the same time. Having that person there with you to bounce ideas off of, or to hang out with after training, or go to dinner with makes things a lot smoother.”
Now at 23, Yow is focused on taking the next step of his career at both the club and international level. Yow is still seeking his full senior debut for the USMNT, who are quickly preparing for this summer’s FIFA World Cup on home soil.
Mauricio Pochettino has brought plenty of excitement to the program, giving numerous players a first opportunity during his reign as head coach. Many of Yow’s former USYNT teammates have earned their debuts under the Argentine and Yow will hope that he can add his name to the list this year.
Whether it’s the World Cup this summer, friendlies after that, or the 2028 Summer Olympics, Yow is ready for the call to come.
“I think it’s all super positive,” Yow said about the USMNT during Pochettino’s era as head coach. He kind of brought in that fresh feeling and he’s obviously a coach with a big name. If you know football, you definitely know Pochettino, so I think that right off the bat, that brings energy and excitement that is super positive. That’s one of my main goals. You look at his comments about MLS being a great place and a great league and that he highly looks at the league. I think that kind went into my decision to come back here, get some games, show myself and hopefully make that step.
“Soccer is really growing in the U.S. and to have the World Cup here and then to be followed up by the Olympics is going to be great for the sports, but very specifically great for soccer,” he added. “I think the more that we can grow the football culture here in the U.S., the better it’s going to be.”