Tim Parker to retire after Red Bulls’ Decision Day finale

November 8 update: New York wins the regular-season finale

The Red Bulls finished their MLS regular season with a 3-0 victory over Atlanta on Saturday, November 7. Adri Mehmeti scored in the 31st minute, Cade Cowell in the 54th and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty in the 82nd. Ethan Horvath and the defense kept the clean sheet, according to the club’s completed recap.

The result closes the regular-season fixture discussed in Parker’s retirement announcement below. The club also lists a November 14 friendly against Club América at Sports Illustrated Stadium, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. EST.

The original report

Tim Parker’s MLS career will end where his New York soccer roots run deepest. The Red Bulls announced Friday that the 33-year-old defender will retire following their November 7 season finale against Atlanta United at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Saturday’s kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST, with coverage on Apple TV.

Parker grew up in Hicksville and became a four-year starter at St. John’s before Vancouver selected him 13th overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The route eventually brought him back to New York for two Red Bulls spells, in 2018-20 and 2025-26.

A career built around defending

His first Red Bulls season produced the 2018 Supporters’ Shield. New York’s 71 points set the MLS record at the time, while its defense allowed a league-low 33 goals and recorded a league-high 15 clean sheets. Those team numbers give substance to Parker’s place in that season’s story.

The years between his New York stays included Houston, St. Louis and New England. With St. Louis in 2023, he earned MLS All-Star and Best XI recognition during the club’s first season. He also scored the first goal in club history, according to the Red Bulls’ career account.

MLS credits Parker with 303 regular-season appearances across five clubs over 12 seasons. His two U.S. senior appearances came in 2018, against Ireland and France. The league record and the local path belong together: a Long Island player who became a durable presence across MLS before returning to the Red Bulls.

The final MLS afternoon

New York enters the Atlanta match at 11-16-6 with 39 points. The game is its final MLS fixture of 2026. The club separately lists a November 14 friendly against Club América, so Saturday’s retirement announcement should not be confused with the end of every event on the stadium calendar.

In announcing his decision, Parker thanked his family, teammates, coaches and supporters. Saturday’s finale offers New York supporters a farewell to a defender who helped anchor the club’s 2018 Supporters’ Shield team.