{{Short description|Footballer & sports executive}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jason Hernandez | image = Jason Hernandez San Jose 2013.jpg | caption = Hernandez with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2013 | fullname = Jason Hernandez | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|8|26}} | birth_place = New York, New York, United States | height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}} | position = Defender | currentclub = | clubnumber = | collegeyears1 = 2001–2004 | college1 = Seton Hall Pirates | years1 = 2005 | clubs1 = MetroStars | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2006–2007 | clubs2 = Chivas USA | caps2 = 50 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2008–2014 | clubs3 = San Jose Earthquakes | caps3 = 165 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2015–2016 | clubs4 = New York City FC | caps4 = 57 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2017–2018 | clubs5 = Toronto FC | caps5 = 18 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2017–2018 | clubs6 = → Toronto FC II (loan) | caps6 = 2 | goals6 = 0 | totalcaps = 295 | totalgoals = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2016 | nationalteam1 = Puerto Rico | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }}
'''Jason Hernandez''' (born August 26, 1983) is former professional soccer player who is the general manager of Major League Soccer club Toronto FC. He previously played for the Puerto Rico national team as a defender.
Hernandez played prep soccer at Paramus Catholic High School.<ref>[https://www.sjearthquakes.com/players/jason-hernandez/Jason Hernandez]{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, San Jose Earthquakes. Accessed October 20, 2022. "High School/Club: Four-year letter-winner at Paramus Catholic"</ref>
==College== Hernandez played college soccer at Seton Hall University from 2001 to 2004, and captained the team in his final two seasons. He was also named Second Team ALL-BIG EAST in 2004.<ref name="Hernandez alumni report">{{cite news|url=http://www.shupirates.com/news/2010/10/25/Men_s_Soccer_Alumni_Report_Hernandez_and_Joyce_Head_to_MLS_Playoffs.aspx?path=msoc|title= Hernandez alumni report|publisher= shupirates.com|access-date= 17 August 2016}}</ref>
== Club career == === MetroStars === Hernandez was selected by the MetroStars with the sixth pick in the first round of the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft and signed a developmental contract with the team for the 2005 season.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bigapplesoccer.com/teams/redbulls2.php?article_id=2105|title= Metros sign Hernandez|publisher= bigapplesoccer.com|access-date= 17 August 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160826135024/http://bigapplesoccer.com/teams/redbulls2.php?article_id=2105|archive-date= August 26, 2016|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref> After not playing a minute in the club's first 29 league games, he made his debut against Chicago on October 5, 2005. He started the last three games of the regular season, as well as both games in the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://metrofanatic.com/team/player.jsp?ID=162|title= Jason Hernandez statistics|publisher= metrofanatic.com|access-date= 17 August 2016}}</ref>
=== Chivas USA === Hernandez was traded to Chivas USA in a trade that allowed the MetroStars to move up to the first selection of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft and select Marvell Wynne.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.trisoccerfan.com/trisoccerfan-blogspot/2006/01/mls-superdraft.html|title=MLS SuperDraft|access-date=2016-07-01|archive-date=September 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918140435/http://www.trisoccerfan.com/trisoccerfan-blogspot/2006/01/mls-superdraft.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In his initial campaign with Chivas, Hernandez went on to appear in 29 league matches, including 24 starts. During the 2007 season Hernandez saw his role reduced as he appeared in 21 league matches, starting only nine. He started three of the club's four playoff matches during his two-year stint at the Los Angeles-based club.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nycfc.com/players/11/jason-hernandez|title= Jason Hernandez NYCFC profile|publisher= nycfc.com|access-date= 17 August 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161028222532/http://www.nycfc.com/players/11/jason-hernandez|archive-date= October 28, 2016|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref>
=== San Jose Earthquakes === Hernandez was picked up by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2007 MLS Expansion Draft.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/major-league-soccer-releases-results-of-2007-expansion-draft/n-3562216|title= MLS releases results of expansion draft|publisher= oursportcentral.com|access-date= 17 August 2016}}</ref> He made his debut on April 3, 2008, starting against LA Galaxy.<ref name="San Jose profile">{{cite web|url= http://www.sjearthquakes.com/players/jason-hernandez|title= San Jose profile|publisher= sjearthquakes.com|access-date= 17 August 2016}}</ref>
Hernandez would play for the club through the 2014 season, and would captain the team multiple times.<ref name="Hernandez alumni report" /> His 160 games started and 13,859 minutes played placed him third all time in both categories for the club.<ref name="San Jose profile" />
=== New York City === Hernandez was selected by New York City FC as the 6th pick in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.centerlinesoccer.com/2014/12/10/7371929/2014-mls-expansion-draft-san-jose-earthquakes-jason-hernandez-new-york-city-fc|title= 2014 MLS expansion draft|publisher= centerlinesoccer.com|access-date= 17 August 2016}}</ref> He would start in their first ever MLS game, a 1–1 draw with Orlando City SC on March 8, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.espnfc.com/report?gameId=410869|title= NYCFC vs Orlando City|publisher= espnfc.com|access-date= 17 August 2016}}</ref>
After the signing of Italian legend Andrea Pirlo in July 2015, Hernandez changed his number from 21 to 2 to honor his boyhood idol, New York Yankees legendary shortstop Derek Jeter.{{citation needed|date= August 2016}} He was not retained following the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web|last=Booth|first=Mark|url=http://www.nycfc.com/post/2016/11/28/nycfc-announce-roster-options-2017|title=NYCFC Announce Roster Options for 2017|date=28 November 2016|work=NYCFC.com|access-date=29 November 2016}}</ref>
=== Toronto FC === Hernandez was signed by Toronto FC in March 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto FC Sign Jason Hernandez|url=http://www.torontofc.ca/post/2017/03/21/toronto-fc-sign-jason-hernandez|website=Toronto FC|access-date=21 March 2017}}</ref> He made his Toronto FC debut and his first start of the season on May 6, 2017, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win against the Seattle Sounders FC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/tfcs-strength-depth-full-display-win-sounders/|title = TFC's strength in depth on full display in win over Sounders - Sportsnet.ca}}</ref>
Hernandez was re-signed by Toronto FC on April 13, 2018,.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/04/13/toronto-fc-welcome-back-jason-hernandez-promote-three-toronto-fc-ii|title=Toronto FC welcome back Jason Hernandez, promote three from Toronto FC II|date=April 13, 2018|website=www.mlssoccer.com}}</ref> He was released at the end of the 2018 season following the expiration of his contract.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/mls/toronto-fc-roster-moves-1.4922407|title=Toronto FC decline Clint Irwin, Tosaint Ricketts options|date=November 27, 2018|website=www.cbc.ca|access-date=March 20, 2019}}</ref>
Hernandez announced his retirement from professional football on April 2, 2019, and that he would be joining Toronto's front office as Manager of Player Engagement.<ref name=retire>{{cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2019/04/02/jason-hernandez-announces-retirement-joins-front-office | title=Jason Hernandez Announces Retirement, Joins Front Office | publisher= Torontofc.ca|date=April 2, 2019|access-date=April 2, 2019}}</ref>
Hernandez was named General Manager of Toronto FC on June 27, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=torontofc |title=Jason Hernandez named Toronto FC General Manager {{!}} Toronto FC |url=https://www.torontofc.ca/news/jason-hernandez-named-toronto-fc-general-manager |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=torontofc |language=en}}</ref>
== International career == Hernandez was born in the United States to parents of Puerto Rican descent. In January 2009, he was called for a training camp with the United States, but he did not appear in a match for the team.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_12189704.html |access-date=January 7, 2009 }}</ref> Eligible for Puerto Rico through his parents, he made his international debut with the team in March 2016 during a Caribbean Cup qualifier against Guyana.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://elvocero.com/jason-hernandez-le-ve-futuro-a-onceno-boricua/ |title=Jason Hernández le ve futuro a onceno boricua – elVocero |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161026232030/http://elvocero.com/jason-hernandez-le-ve-futuro-a-onceno-boricua/ |archive-date=26 October 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Management career== After retiring as a professional player in April 2019, he became Toronto FC's Manager of Player Engagement.<ref name=retire/> He later became the team's Assistant General Manager, Player Personnel and Engagement Strategy in 2021, before being promoted to General Manager in June 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/news/jason-hernandez-named-toronto-fc-general-manager|title=Jason Hernandez named Toronto FC General Manager|date=June 27, 2023|work=Toronto FC}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{Soccerway|jason-hernandez/6914}}</ref> !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Playoffs{{efn|Includes MLS Cup playoffs}} !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship}} !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |MetroStars |2005 |Major League Soccer |3||0||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||5||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Chivas USA |2006 |rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer |29||0||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||31||0 |- |2007 |21||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||22||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !50!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!53!!0 |- |rowspan="8"|San Jose Earthquakes |2008 |rowspan="7"|Major League Soccer |28||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||colspan="2"|—||28||0 |- |2009 |16||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||colspan="2"|—||16||0 |- |2010 |27||0||3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||30||0 |- |2011 |28||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||colspan="2"|—||28||0 |- |2012 |25||0||2||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||28||0 |- |2013 |21||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||4{{efn|Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League}}||0||25||0 |- |2014 |20||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0||colspan="2"|—||21||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !165!!0!!5!!0!!2!!0!!4!!0!!176!!0 |- |rowspan="3"|New York City FC |2015 |rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer |26||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0||colspan="2"|—||27||0 |- |2016 |31||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||32||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !57!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0!!0!!0!!59!!0 |- |rowspan="3"|Toronto FC |2017 |rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer |8||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||9||0 |- |2018 |10||0||colspan="2"|—||2||0||0||0||12||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !18!!0!!0!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!21!!0 |- |rowspan="3"|Toronto FC II (loan) |2017 |rowspan="2"|USL |1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2" |—||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- |2018 |1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2" |—||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !295!!0!!10!!0!!7!!0!!4!!0!!316!!0 |} {{notelist}}
===International=== {| class=wikitable style=text-align:center |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref>{{NFT player}}</ref> !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |Puerto Rico |2016||3||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total||3||0 |}
==Honors== ===Club===
====San Jose Earthquakes==== *Supporters' Shield: 2012<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.sjearthquakes.com/post/2012/10/21/quakes-clinch-second-ever-supporters-shield|title= San Jose clinch Supporters' Shield|publisher= sjearthquakes.com|access-date= 17 August 2016}}</ref>
====Toronto FC==== * MLS Cup: 2017 * Supporters' Shield: 2017 * Eastern Conference Winners (Playoffs): 2017 * Canadian Championship: 2017 * Trillium Cup: 2017
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == *{{MLS player|jason-hernandez}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hernandez, Jason}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent Category:Sportspeople of Puerto Rican descent Category:American men's soccer players Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Chivas USA players Category:New York City FC players Category:New York Red Bulls draft picks Category:New York Red Bulls players Category:Major League Soccer players Category:Paramus Catholic High School alumni Category:Sportspeople from Englewood, New Jersey Category:Soccer players from Bergen County, New Jersey Category:Puerto Rican men's footballers Category:Puerto Rico men's international footballers Category:San Jose Earthquakes players Category:Seton Hall Pirates men's soccer players Category:Soccer players from New York (state) Category:Toronto FC players Category:Toronto FC II players Category:USL Championship players