Players Leaving the Team in 2027

By Alistair Kirsch-Poole
Jul 18, 2026 - 11:00am

Note: This article will be updated as departures are announced. This article was last updated on September 2, 2026.

The first confirmed departure of the 2027 season is veteran tighthead prop Paul Mullen, who announced his retirement on social media. The 34-year-old from Ireland first came to the United States for college and played club rugby in Texas. He has been playing in MLR since its inception, playing for Houston, San Diego, Utah, and NOLA before landing at OGDC last season. He will end his career just one cap short of becoming a centurion, with 99 to his name. He also earned 36 caps with the Eagles, including in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Mullen started in every match of the 2026 season, providing a steady veteran presence at tighthead and earning an All-MLR honorable mention. His departure will leave a hole in the starting lineup, which might be filled by up-and-comer Connor Devos but which might also cause the coaching staff to bring in someone of similar experience.

Mullen is not the only tighthead departing, with rookie prop Patrick Beattie also likely leaving the team. He has been signed by English side London Scottish in National League 1, the third tier of rugby in England. Beattie's departure is a diffcult one to provide context for, as he was drafted by the Legion in 2024 but never earned a cap there, and similarly went uncapped with OGDC in 2026. The team will likely be looking for another young American player to replace him for 2027.

Flanker Aidan King will also be departing for English shores, although he will be joinging the Doncaster Knights in the CHAMP, the second tier of competition over there. King has been a rising star in MLR, drafted by NOLA Gold in 2024 and putting in a blistering 2025 campaign for his rookie season. He was the consensus runner up for the rookie of the year award that season. His 2026 season with OGDC was similarly solid, starting 9 of the team's 11 matches. Strictly speaking, King could return for the latter end of the 2027 season, as the CHAMP season runs through the end of May. However, it doesn't seem likely that he will do so.