Houston Dynamo decline Hector Herrera player option for 2025 MLS season following referee spit incident

Hector Herrera's time with the Houston Dynamo appears to be coming to an end, as the club have declined his player option, they announced Wednesday.

This decision was announced just four days after he was sent off for spitting in the direction of a referee and the Dynamo were subsequently eliminated from the MLS Playoffs by the Seattle Sounders following penalties.

Herrera wasn't the only player who's option was declined, as he joins Ján Greguš, Júnior Moreno, Brad Smith, Ousmane Sylla and Xavier Valdez.

The decision by the Houston could come as a surprise for Herrera, who apologized to the Dynamo faithful on social media and promised to be a better player for the club in 2025.

It has been a mixed run for Herrera in MLS. He had an incredible 17-assist, four-goal year last campaign, one in which Houston won the U.S. Open Cup. Yet, overall in his first and third seasons, he has struggled to meet expectations.

There is a chance Houston could try to renegotiate a new deal with Herrera, but that appears unlikely as the club didn't mention him in their negotiation list - a group that includes Latif Blessing, Steve Clark, Daniel Steres, Tate Schmitt and Andrew Tarbell.

I am proud of the resilience of the players and staff members this season. Despite facing significant obstacles, we qualified for consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in over a decade and set new club records for points earned in a season and road wins, while advancing further in CONCACAF Champions Cup than any team in the Western Conference," General Manager Pat Onstad said in a statement. "For those not returning, I sincerely thank them for their contributions to the club and wish them well in the next step of their careers. As we look to 2025, we will return the core of our team, and we are already working hard to build on our foundation in the coming transfer windows."

The Dynamo will be focused on building a foundation ahead of the 2025 season and will await the upcoming MLS Draft, which is scheduled for Dec. 20.