USA-eligible Irish flanker Paddy Ryan played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the San Diego Legion (2024-2025) and the Seattle Seawolves (2026).

Born and raised in Ireland, Ryan developed in the Leinster youth system before joining the Northampton Saints in the English Premiership, helping the Saints to a Premiership Cup in 2019. He spent a loan spell playing with Coventry and the Saints-affiliated Bedford Blues in the Championship, before moving to Cornwall to play with the Cornish Pirates for 2 seasons. He stayed in the Championship for the 2021/22 season, signing with Ampthill for two seasons before returning to Coventry for the 2023/24 Championship season. That year, 2023, he earned his international debut for the USA as Eagle #560 in a 14pt victory over Romania. He participated in the USA’s 2024 PNC campaign, and was included in the Eagles squad for their November internationals that year.

Ryan was a late addition to the San Diego Legion in 2024, and is the 3rd Paddy Ryan to appear in MLR, all 3 of whom have represented the San Diego Legion at some point in their careers. Ryan earned 7 MLR caps and 2 starts as the Legion qualified for the 2024 post-season, and on November 7th 2024, the Legion announced the return of Ryan for the 2025 season. During that season, Ryan doubled his starts from 2 to 4 and increased his appearances from 7 last season to 8 in 2025. He also completed 108 tackles that year, more than doubling his MLR career total of 50 in 2024.

Following news in July 2025 that the San Diego Legion would be merging with Rugby FC LA to create the California Legion, Paddy Ryan became a free agent and on 1st December 2025, the Seattle Seawolves announced that they had signed the US capped Irishman for the 2026 season, where Ryan was a standout. He started all 11 Seawolves games during the 2026 season, scoring 7 tries in total and completing over 150 tackles while also beating 29 defenders and gaining over 200m in possession. He earned 4 MLR Team of the Week Selections that year, helping Seattle qualify for the postseason yet again, where they fell to the California Legion in the Semifinals. For his efforts, the Seattle Seawolves fans named him the 2026 Supporters’ Player of the Year.

achievements

• 2026 Seattle Seawolves Supporters’ Player of the Year
• MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 11
• MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 10
• MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 8
• MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 3

NARDB Player #1,277