Note: This is the second article of our annual series looking back on the best moments of the year. The previous entry in the series is linked at the bottom of the page.
While 2025 was a year of historic firsts for the Riverhounds, the year began with the team saying goodbye to a player who was synonymous with the club’s unmatched run of success since 2018.
Kenardo Forbes — “King Kenny” to teammates and adoring fans alike — decided to retire before the start of the 2025 season and move into a coaching role with the team, a decision that he announced March 13.
Joining the club after the Rochester Rhinos ceased operations following the 2017 season, Forbes wasn’t the first player to follow head coach Bob Lilley to Pittsburgh, but the former Jamaican international quickly became the most influential.
A seven-time All-USL selection, he earned six of those honors in Pittsburgh from 2018-23, including being a finalist for the league’s Most Valuable Player honor in 2019. He also helped lead the Hounds to seven straight playoff appearances, including the top seed in the East in 2019, and he captained the team to its first official trophy, the USL Championship Players’ Shield in 2023.
The midfielder with unmatched field vision and a flair for playmaking is the holder of multiple statistical records with both the Hounds and in the USL Championship. For the club, his 55 assists and 226 matches played remain unmatched. At the league level, he was the leader in regular-season matches and minutes played — both marks that were surpassed in 2025 — and he remains the leader in regular-season assists with 66.
His decision was met with adoration from former teammates and opponents from around the league, and the 2025 Hounds were still able to benefit from his experience and insight this past season, as he was a steady presence at training through the year. The club honored its most decorated player in history with a pre-match ceremony before the team’s home opener on March 22, giving Hounds fans one last chance to cheer on a player who achieved so much in Pittsburgh.
Previous entries in the Best of 2025:
#5 — Beto conquers NYC
