Perry Baker, a two-time World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, has announced his retirement from professional rugby after a distinguished 10-year career with the USA team, which included three Olympic appearances. On October 14, he shared via social media that the upcoming 2023/24 SVNS season will be his last.
During his time on the sevens circuit, Baker scored an impressive 293 tries, solidifying his legacy in the sport. Many fans, rivals, and peers, including Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, expressed their respect and admiration for Baker in the comments on his announcement.
Although Baker is retiring as a player, he plans to remain involved with rugby. He has accepted a position as an assistant coach with the USA men’s sevens team, a role he will fill until the end of the year.
In his farewell message, Baker reflected on his decade-long journey with the USA Men’s 7s program, expressing gratitude for the experiences, challenges, and friendships rugby provided him. He emphasized the significance of the sport, not just as a game but as a family, and thanked the fans for their unwavering support.
Baker began playing rugby in Florida as a teenager and, after a brief stint training with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, re-entered the sport in 2014 at the age of 28. He made his USA Sevens debut that same season under coach Mike Friday, quickly making a name for himself and earning a nomination for Rookie of the Year. Throughout his career, Baker developed a formidable partnership with fellow player Carlin Isles and achieved remarkable success, being named Men’s World Sevens Player of the Year in both 2017 and 2018. He proudly represented the USA in every Olympic Games featuring Rugby Sevens since its inception, competing in Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and the upcoming Paris 2024.