The Chicago Hounds signed Paddy Ryan for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 32-year-old tighthead/loosehead prop (33 in December) is 6’2″ and 285 lbs.

Paddy played 462 minutes in 11 matches, starting 8, for the Chicago Hounds in 2023. He carried the ball 33 times and gained 138 meters on those carries (4.2 meters-per-carry), and defensively he completed 54 tackles on 62 attempts and was credited with three breakdown steals. Additionally, Ryan had 98 first or second ruck arrivals. He made his 50th MLR appearance in the Hounds’ Week 13 contest against the New York Ironworkers and has played in 54 MLR matches.

Paddy played 343 minutes in 11 matches, starting 7, making 37 tackles, and carrying for 99 meters for San Diego Legion in 2022. He also played for Highfield RFC in Cork, Ireland.

Paddy played 395 minutes in 12 matches, starting 6, scoring 2 tries, and making 35 tackles for Austin Gilgronis in 2021. He then returned to Ireland and played with Highfield RFC in Cork before joining San Diego Legion for the 2022 season.

Paddy started four matches for Rugby United New York during the COVID-19-shortened season. A minor leg injury kept him out of action during week two in Las Vegas.

During the 2019 MLR season, Rooster 4 played 750 minutes in 13 matches and scored 3 tries. He had 91 carries for 384 meters, had 1 tackle break, and made 88 tackles.

Following the 2019 season, he attended the USA National Team2019 Rugby World Cup Training Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

During the 2018 MLR season, he played 149 minutes, starting in three matches for Austin Elite

Patrick is from Cork and Chicago and his brothers Timmy and Dave both played (play) professional rugby.

Paddy was eligible for the USA team, as his mother is from the United States. A good tighthead prop is not one to pass up, so Paddy was selected by the Eagles and played as a reserve against Ireland on June 10, 2017, as a reserve. He then started against Canada in Hamilton on June 24, 2017.

Paddy was selected for the USA Rugby Selects for the 2017 Americas Pacific Championship in Montevideo, Uruguay, however, the trial with Bath United precluded his attending.

Paddy returned to the Eagles for the November 2017 tour to play Germany and Georgia on November 18 at Brita Arena in Wiesbaden, Germany, and on November 25 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Interim Head Coach Dave Hewitt provided the leadership for the Eagles, while new Eagles Head Coach Gary Gold, attended to Worcester Warrior’s responsibilities.

The last of his 7 caps was against Japan in Suva, Fiji on August 10, 2019.

Paddy Ryan and European Rugby

Paddy began to play rugby with Highfield RFC in Cork and progressed through the youth system. He represented the team in the All-Ireland Under 18s Championship in 2009 and also played in the under-20s.

He joined his brother Dave at the Munster Academy from 2009-2010 and in 2011 played for Rugby Viadana in the Italiana Rugby d’Eccellenza. The following year, he helped the London Welsh win the RFU Championship. For the 2014-2015 seasons, he played for Libournais, a France Federale 1 team. He then signed a two-year contract with the Aviva Premiership Newcastle Falcons in 2015.

In 2017 Paddy had a trial with Bath Rugby and currently is back with the Highfield RFC, where he began his rugby journey.

Ryan made his first appearance for the US National Team in June of 2017 when he came on as a replacement against Ireland, a nation he knows very well. He went on to make his first start 2 weeks later, in a World Cup 2019 qualifying match against Canada. He has7 caps in the USA player pool for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.