Kyle Beckerman was a workhorse.
One look at his warmup jersey as he left the field minutes before kickoff gives a clear indication, as the 21-year MLS standout would be drenched in sweat before he even took the field for the opening kick.
Last week when he announced his retirement, the extent of his longevity in the league and the tireless work rate that made him an indispensable part of Real Salt Lake’s foundation for the 14 seasons were the common threads highlighted by all who spoke of him.
His MLS records for a field player took center stage. 498 games played. 461 starts. 41,164 minutes.
But let’s put that last number in perspective, along with the tenacious doggedness that defined his career.
In addition to his record-setting regular season total, Beckerman logged 3,454 minutes in the MLS Cup Playoffs. With many lengthy runs in the tournament, he played 1,589 minutes in CONCACAF Champions League. Add in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and he has another 1,204 minutes. Then there is the Leagues Cup, which saw him play an additional 45 minutes in the 2019 season.
In the professional ranks, Beckerman played a total of 47,456 minutes.
Now, just for fun, let’s also add in the 3,715 minutes he logged with the U.S. National Team.
That brings his total to 51,171 minutes in all competitions since he first signed with the Miami Fusion in 2000.
Conservatively, it is estimated that he covered roughly 10.25 kilometers per 90 minutes (roughly 6.37 miles).
That means that during his 21-year career, he covered 3,621 miles, give, or take.
Growing up in Crofton, Maryland, Beckerman started his professional career at Lockhart Stadium with the Miami Fusion. From there, he moved to the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Good Park. Finally, he spent the final 14 seasons of his career with Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium and Rio Tinto Stadium.
The distance between those landmarks totals roughly 3,608 miles.
So, throughout his career, he covered the distance on the field to travel from his hometown to each of his home stadiums along the way with enough miles left over to make the trek to the Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah.
