New York Atlas goalie Jack Concannon, one of the last remaining original Atlas players from the inaugural 2019 team, has retired from professional lacrosse.

Concannon joined the Atlas in their founding year after starting his professional career with the Florida Launch of Major League Lacrosse in 2018. Upon entering the PLL, Concannon posted a career-high 138 saves. He saved 50 percent or more of shots in his five-year PLL career, peaking at 57 percent in 2020.

“I’ve been on the Atlas my entire PLL career, that’s something that’s pretty special so I’ve been with these guys throughout this entire course, through the ups and downs, new coaches and changes, but it’s been the relationships off the field and those moments that I’ll look back and miss the most,” Concannon said.

He relished going out to eat with teammates after games and the rampant Catan tournaments the Atlas played most weekends. He’d blast the likes of Zach Bryan or Luke Combs in his hotel room and sing along with his roommate and Atlas defenseman Michael Rexrode. The closer to gametime, the louder and faster paced the music got. 

“By the time we left the room, we were ready to go,” Rexrode said.

It helped Concannon, in part, to a career of no regrets. The 28-year-old said he doesn’t lose time to thoughts of missed saves or botched plays. He poured all his focus into each quarter, opting for bruises over goals allowed at every chance.

“Every time I was out there I really, truly gave it my all and there’s many times I was quite literally limping off the field,” he said. “If my teammates could agree that I gave it my all and left it all out there, then that’s all I need.”

And they can.

“Every time Jack stepped on the field you knew you were going to get everything he had,” Rexrode said. “That is the first word I would use to describe Jack, is a competitor. A fierce competitor at that. He’s as intense as they come in the cage. I don’t think anyone could argue he didn’t leave it all out on the field.”

“Jack is a fierce competitor and has stood strong in net for the history of the PLL,” Atlas faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste said. “You know every game he’s going to steal at least one goal from the other team by making an incredible save, especially in tight.”

Concannon’s near-sighted dominance thwarted opponents throughout his career. He saved 49.8 percent of shots from five yards or closer. The PLL average is 43.0.

Unlike many goalies, short-range shots weren’t his kryptonite, and it was all because of three simple words.

“Sit, wait, react,” Concannon said.

He employed that tactic since his Hofstra days, advice he received from his former college goalie coach J.P. Brazel. The goal was to limit “wasted, small movements,” he said, and explode toward the ball when a shot finally came his way, even if it was from the doorstep. 

At Hofstra, Concannon started 45 of 47 games. He graduated with a career 8.43 goals against average, minimizing that to 7.81 goals against during his senior year, which ranked fourth in the nation at the time. That year, he also led the Coastal Athletic Association and was eighth in the nation with a 56.6% save percentage.

Concannon’s retirement plans will keep him in New York, though he’ll frequent the Long Island beaches and upstate mountains more, he said, and he’ll always factor in time for when the Atlas are in town.

“Of course they become the New York Atlas [right before I retire], but I’ll be their No. 1 fan and whenever they’re in New York I’ll be there cheering them on for sure,” he said.