Sounding Off on Soccer Podcast: Riverhounds’ Robbie Mertz reveals grueling and rewarding title run, leads push for better player standards and more

Robbie Mertz is back for another season with his hometown club, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

This time he comes back to the club, with a new contract, as a champion, postseason hero and yet even more determined to contribute to the Riverhounds’ standard of success that has been part of his tenures with the team since 2019.

As the Hounds have completed a few weeks of the 2026 preseason, Mertz joins John Krysinsky on the Sounding Off on Soccer Podcast for a revealing and compelling in-depth interview.

Among the topics John and Robbie discuss included:

• reflections on last season’s remarkable postseason run, the team’s resilience in overcoming adversity while dealing with what he described as a ‘shocking’ coaching change, importance in turning to his faith and finding a way to score the biggest goal in club history after missing golden chances the previous week, then experiencing hospitalization from exhaustion, but bouncing back for an unforgettable USL title clinching win at Tulsa less then a week later.
• signing a new contract and looking forward to a transition to the new season as Rob Vincent has been implemented as the permanent Head Coach and what his role will be with the team
• continuing efforts of the USLPA to bring higher standards for players and reach a new collective bargaining agreement with the league — as negotiations are still at a standstill

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Mertz, 29, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of nearby Upper St. Clair High School, has been a mainstay for the Hounds since signing with his hometown club as a rookie in 2019. While he did have a short stint with Atlanta United 2 starting in 2021, he rejoined the Hounds via transfer midway through the 2022 season and will be entering his seventh season with the team.

Riverhounds strike new deal with hometown hero Robbie Mertz