Colorado Rapids Mutually Part Ways With Chris Armas. Club Begins Formal Head Coach Search.

Commerce City, CO – We have breaking news out of the Colorado Rapids offseason. The club announced Monday they will not bring back Chris Armas as first team head coach. The decision was mutual. The club is now formally in a search for a new head coach for 2026. Discussions with candidates are ongoing.

Sources tell BW that a contract extension was offered but negotiations paused as the club focused on a push to the playoffs. Another source told BW that the club and manager previously were apart in negotiations about the length of the contract with the club not changing the offer between the summer and end of the season. They were in alignment for the vision for the club and the approach to youth development. Perhaps Armas thought he had proved himself enough for a longer extension. Perhaps the club was wary given how 2025 ended and most of their front office are out of contract after 2026.

There were lingering questions about how much say Armas had in roster decisions.

“We’re grateful to Chris for the professionalism and passion he brought to the club. He helped our group take meaningful steps forward over the past two seasons and leaves behind a strong culture that will serve us well as we begin this next chapter,” Rapids President Pádraig Smith said in a club statement.

“I want to thank the Kroenke family, Kevin Demoff and Pádraig, along with the players, staff, and the Rapids community for their trust and support. I’ll always be grateful for my time in Colorado,” Armas said as a part of the club statement.

Armas coached 82 games for Colorado, accumulating a record of 33-13-36. They won the Rocky Mountain Cup in both years under him. In 2024, they finished 7th in the MLS Western Conference and 3rd in Leagues Cup. In 2025, they fell to 11th and missed the playoffs. The first team did not participate in the U.S. Open Cup in either year. Positivity helps. Winning helps more.

What does the future hold?

Despite recent events and such, I expected Armas to be back. He fits the club approach. The secondary transfer window hurt the team in both years under him. If Djordje Mihailović doesn’t want out, this team probably makes the playoffs. I don’t know that there’s a currently open MLS head coach job that Armas would be a favorite for.

For as much as he rehabilitated his reputation in 2024, the team did not have answers throughout 2025. In any interview, he will need to have answers for Cole Bassett being played out of position for so long and the various formation changes that had mixed results. I hope he gets another shot at some point. I don’t know that will be next year in MLS.

Regardless of how Armas spoke to me in his final press conference on Decision Day, I do not celebrate this.

For the club, it’s not back to Square 1, but maybe Square 2-3. As Smith said, the foundation has been (re-)established. The club has a number of young exciting players. They need 1-3 signings in the winter. They have a style of play and a culture. But again, they are one of the less attractive coach openings in MLS, just like two years ago. Armas coming in on a two-year contract showed both teams saw that appointment as a trial run. The job is more attractive now than it was two years ago.

But any candidate is going to see how short of a leash Armas got and wonder. I don’t know that Rapids original Peter Vermes or Jim Curtin take this job. Again, I think the next head coach will be someone with less experience and not as much of a name. Off the top of my head, longtime assistant Chris Little should be a candidate again. Brendan Burke has done well in the USL Championship with Switchbacks and Hartford. Josh Wolff, formerly of Austin FC. They could go off the wall with someone international. Jesper Sørensen worked for Vancouver Whitecaps.

All this said, this will be President Smith’s fourth head coaching hiring as the highest level executive at the club. Most GMs, Presidents, Technical Directors don’t get to pick a fourth head coach after firing three, mutually(?) parting ways with a fourth, and missing the playoffs six times in nine years.

A roster decision is due the day before Thanksgiving. Have to imagine that a coach will be in place before those moves are made.

BW awaits to see the fanbase’s reaction to this news. The club will have media availability with Smith and Demoff later this week. We expect to be in attendance.

It’s remarkable that the coach’s last actions at the club are a press conference outburst and two notes app tweets.

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