Gotham FC and USWNT forward Lynn Williams is being traded to the Seattle Reign, according to multiple reports late Wednesday.
Sports Illustrated reports that Williams and goalkeeper Cassie Miller will join the Reign in exchange for midfielder Jaelin Howell and an undisclosed transfer fee.
Though still unconfirmed, the move reportedly comes at Williams’s request, with the 31-year-old Olympic gold medalist hoping to close out her club career on the West Coast, closer to her California home.
In her two seasons at Gotham, Williams scored 11 goals and tallied four assists en route to back-to-back NWSL Playoff runs.
Williams is a major score for Seattle
The addition of Williams — the NWSL’s all-time leading scorer and third on the career assists list — would be a massive win for the Reign, who are in desperate need of firepower after posting the league’s fourth-worst goal count and finishing in 13th place last season.
Plus, Williams knows how to win, arguably more than nearly any other player in the league.
Since entering the NWSL in 2015, Williams has lifted trophies with all three of her clubs, earning championships with the Western New York Flash (2016), the NC Courage (2018, 2019), and Gotham FC (2023). Those four titles surpass every other NWSL athlete except McCall Zerboni, who coincidentally was Williams's teammate for all of those championships.
That title-winning aptitude would be clutch for Seattle, who are still hunting a franchise-first NWSL championship despite competing in three league finals.

Howell, Miller on the move again
Both Howell and Miller will exit their respective clubs after short tenures.
Miller joined Gotham from Kansas City in January as a replacement for starting goalkeeper Abby Smith, who suffered a season-ending injury in August 2023. In April, however, the NJ/NY club snagged German international Ann-Katrin Berger — one of the best keepers in the world and the NWSL's 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year — leaving Miller in a backup role.
Logging an even shorter time at Seattle than Miller's 11-month Gotham stretch is Howell, who will join her third club in five months with this trade. The midfielder began her NWSL career with Racing Louisville in 2022, but was sent to Seattle in August in exchange for striker Bethany Balcer and $50,000.
The 25-year-old, who captained her Louisville team, has struggled to stay in form. That said, if Gotham can help Howell unlock consistency in her top-level play, her on-pitch potential and off-pitch leadership could be a boon for the NJ/NY side.
Ultimately, trading Williams for a player with more potential than top form reads as a possible rebuild for a club who entered a so-called superteam era just one year ago — particularly in light of Gotham's flood of defectors this offseason, which includes star midfielder Delanie Sheehan.
Gotham FC apologized to fans on Thursday after not holding a celebration for their NWSL Championship win.
Traditionally, championship-winning teams will hold a rally or a parade in their local market in the days following the title game. Gotham FC, instead, is hosting a “trophy tour,” which included a team visit to the Empire State Building and a ceremonial ringing of the NASDAQ opening bell on Thursday.
Media, however, was not informed until around 1 a.m. the day of Thursday’s festivities.
“It’s sad,” Lynn Williams told The Messenger. “I wish we could have celebrated with our fans who have been there all year.”
Felt on top of the world at the @EmpireStateBldg! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Uy23gs1lnm
— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) November 16, 2023
“We would have loved to celebrate the fans. Fans are a huge part of why we’re here,” Yazmeen Ryan added. “It’s not ideal that it won’t be until next season. But hopefully they stick with us and know that we’re gonna have many more of these to come.”
Gotham’s supporters group, Cloud 9, expressed their disappointment in the delayed celebration, writing on X that they “deserve to celebrate NOW, as a collective fanbase, with the players that brought home that trophy.”
Gotham veteran McCall Zerboni responded to fans on X with an assurance that their complaints are being heard by the players.
very heard very much agree and pushing very hard for something more with yall🫶🗽🖤🦇
— McCall Zerboni (@McCaLL2) November 16, 2023
In response to the public pressure, Gotham issued an apologetic statement on Thursday night.
“We extend our sincere apology and recognize you deserved the chance to celebrate our champion athletes who brought the trophy home,” the club wrote. “We pledge to use the off-season to organize celebrations that befit a championship club and match the enthusiasm of the best fans in the world.”
It isn’t the first time a team has delayed its championship celebration. The Washington Spirit didn’t hold a rally to celebrate their 2021 championship win until April 2022, despite having the support of the Washington, D.C. mayor to schedule a parade sooner.
“We don’t even know if it’s gonna be the same team,” Williams told The Messenger, with the NWSL’s free-agency signing period set to begin Monday. “So that’s a bit upsetting. But I do think if we’re not going to do it right, then we have time to plan and go forward.”
Gotham FC general manager Yael Averbuch West addressed the club’s decision to re-sign team captain McCall Zerboni, who made a racist analogy during a postgame press conference last season.
West likes to be “as transparent as [she] can” about the club’s decision making processes, she wrote Friday on Twitter.
“Being a GM is a job full of decisions and it’s important to me that our supporters understand why and how we’re building at Gotham FC,” she wrote. “McCall has acknowledged the harm of her words last season and embraced the need for further education.
“This aligns with our desire to be a club that supports its players in learning, improving, and growing as athletes and people.”
education. This aligns with our desire to be a club that supports its players in learning, improving, and growing as athletes and people. (2/2)
— Yael Averbuch West (@Yael_Averbuch) January 13, 2023
In August, after Zerboni made a racist analogy related to Native Americans, many called out the language.
Madison Hammond, a defender for Angel City FC and the NWSL’s lone Native American player, said Zerboni’s comment “has to be acknowledged… not because I want to call out one person but because it’s indicative of how our larger culture continues to perpetuate harmful stereotypes about Native Americans and Indigenous cultures.”
While Hammond spoke with Zerboni and said she knew the Gotham FC captain “didn’t intend harm,” certain phrases are “rooted in brutal racism.”
Zerboni later issued an apology, and Gotham said it had “addressed the matter internally.”
NJ/NY Gotham FC has responded to outcry over captain McCall Zerboni making a racist analogy in her postgame comments on Sunday.
In a statement Wednesday, Gotham said that it is aware of Zerboni’s remarks and that it “will not abide by any language that perpetuates harmful stereotypes.”
“We have addressed the matter internally and will continue to seek opportunities to educate our organization and community about the impact words have on others,” the club wrote.
— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) August 3, 2022
Madison Hammond, a defender for Angel City FC and the NWSL’s lone Native American player, addressed the comments Tuesday night. In a Twitter thread, she said that while she has spoken with Zerboni and knows that she “didn’t intend harm,” certain phrases are still “rooted in brutal racism” and “way too common in our everyday lexicon.”
Cloud 9, Gotham’s supporters group, said Tuesday that they would reach out to front office directly and call for the issue to be addressed.
Zerboni issued an initial apology Tuesday, then further addressed the comments Wednesday, writing that she was “unaware the expression I ignorantly chose to use could cause so much harm.”
“I’ve certainly got it now,” she wrote. “No this is not Gotham’s issue. No not our media personnel, admin, etc. This is all me all my bad. Thanks for pushing me to grow in ways I didn’t know I needed to people.”
i was unaware the expression i ignorantly chose to use could cause so much harm. but ive certainly got it now🙂 no this is not Gotham’s issue. no not our media personnel, admin, etc. this is all me all my bad. thanks for pushing me to grow in ways i didnt know i needed to people
— McCall Zerboni (@McCaLL2) August 3, 2022
Madison Hammond, a defender for Angel City FC and the NWSL’s lone Native American player, took to Twitter on Tuesday night after NJ/NY Gotham FC captain McCall Zerboni made a racist analogy in her postgame comments Sunday.
Cloud 9, Gotham’s supporters group, said Tuesday that the language Zerboni used was “unacceptable” and that they would be reaching out to the front office directly, with the expectation that Zerboni and the team would address the issue.
Later that day, Hammond addressed Zerboni’s comments in a Twitter thread.
“This has to be acknowledged and is really important,” wrote Hammond. “Not because I want to call out one person but because it’s indicative of how our larger culture continues to perpetuate harmful stereotypes about Native Americans and Indigenous cultures.”
This has to be acknowledged and is really important. Not because I want to call out one person but because it’s indicative of how our larger culture continues to perpetuate harmful stereotypes about Native Americans and Indigenous cultures. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/RGnKEdjGnW
— Madison Hammond (@gohaamm) August 2, 2022
Hammond said she has spoken with Zerboni and knows that she “didn’t intend harm.”
However, the defender continues by saying that certain phrases are “rooted in brutal racism” and still “way too common in our everyday lexicon.”
“As the only Native American in the NWSL I want to start a necessary conversation, because phrases like these make Native Americans feel othered, invisible, and prove there is a lack of understanding and respect for Indigenous culture,” she added. “They may seem harmless, but they’re not.”
As the only Native American in the NWSL I want to start a necessary conversation, bc phrases like these make Native Americans feel othered, invisible, and prove there is a lack of understanding and respect for Indigenous culture. They may seem harmless, but they’re not. (3/3)
— Madison Hammond (@gohaamm) August 2, 2022
Megan Rapinoe, who played with Hammond when the defender was with OL Reign, voiced her support of Hammond’s statement.
“Exactly what needs to be said,” she wrote. “Don’t let not learning and growing and keep you rooted in racism yall. Appreciate you Hamm.”
Exactly what needs to be said. Don’t let not learning and growing and keep you rooted in racism yall. Appreciate you Hamm 🫶🏼❤️ https://t.co/syRmNaYmvx
— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) August 3, 2022
Zerboni also took to Twitter to apologize for her words, writing: “im sorry if anything i’ve ever said has offended any1. the last thing i would ever want 2 do is hurt someones feelings or make them feel unloved. if u knew me u would know this. i’ve fallen short at this at times im sure but my intent always lead with love.”
im sorry if anything i’ve ever said has offended any1. the last thing i would ever want 2 do is hurt someones feelings or make them feel unloved. if u knew me u would know this. i’ve fallen short at this at times im sure but my intent always lead with ❤️. have a good night yall.
— McCall Zerboni (@McCaLL2) August 2, 2022
McCall Zerboni and Erin McLeod joined other NWSL players in calling for accountability at the league level amid widespread allegations of misconduct.
In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, the two demanded change days after The Athletic reported on former players accusing Paul Riley of sexual coercion and emotional abuse and the North Carolina Courage fired Riley in response.
“I definitely think it’s systemic and no one in a position of power that is supposed to protect us and do the right thing has righted the ship,” Zerboni said on the show. “We need more structured standards, policy, background checks. We need to be treated with basic human rights.”
McLeod echoed Zerboni’s remarks, calling people who knew of the abuse “complicit.”
“We need to make change and get rid of those people,” she said.
McLeod added that the misconduct former NWSL players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim detailed to The Athletic isn’t new.
“They came forward in 2015 saying exactly what they did in that article,” McLeod said. “What are we saying to young players, 12 or 13 years old, about what we are going to allow to happen to our athletes in this country? That’s unforgivable.”
On Sunday, the NWSL announced a “commitment to systemic transformation” in a season where multiple coaches have been accused of misconduct. NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird resigned from her position on Friday as the league continues to deal with the fallout. FIFA and US Soccer have both launched investigations into the allegations.
The league did not play any games over the weekend as they begin to address the systemic issues at hand.