San Jose Earthquakes hire Gavin Wilkinson amid backlash from NWSL
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 20, 2026, 2:01 PM
Last updated Aug 20, 2026
The San Jose Earthquakes announced the hiring of Gavin Wilkinson as a roster consultant after he was cleared to work in Major League Soccer following a 'restorative practices' process. The NWSL was not involved in his clearance, drawing criticism from fans and Bay FC, the NWSL club sharing PayPal Park. Concerns were raised regarding Wilkinson's previous roles with the Portland Thorns and Timbers, which ended following a report detailing his handling of sexual misconduct allegations. Despite previous firings due to misconduct-related controversies, officials did not disclose how the findings from separate investigations influenced the hiring decision. Protests against his appointment occurred, with some supporters displaying signs calling for his removal.
- •Wilkinson cleared to work in MLS after 'restorative practices'.
- •NWSL's Bay FC opposed his hiring, citing past controversies.
- •Previous investigations noted Wilkinson's handling of misconduct allegations.
- •Wilkinson's history includes a firing from Portland in 2022.
- •Protests by fans highlight division over the hiring decision.
- 2:01 PMYahoo Sports — San Jose hired Gavin Wilkinson after ‘restorative’ clearance from MLS without NWSL involvement
"The San Jose Earthquakes hired Gavin Wilkinson after a “restorative practices” process cleared him to work in Major League Soccer. The NWSL was not formally involved in that process, multiple sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic. Bay FC, the NWSL team that uses San Jose’s stadium, PayPal Park, pushed back against Wilkinson’s hiring as a roster consultant, as did fans of the MLS team. Both cited Wilkinson’s past with the NWSL’s Portland Thorns and MLS’ Portland Timbers, which fired him
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