Here’s a fact: Magic Johnson is very close to winning his 16th ring – it would be his first in women’s soccer! The Washington Spirit has just clinched a playoff spot a year after welcoming the multi-sport ownership guru into its fold. Trinity Rodman and Gift Monday are empowering his inner Gollum with their spectacular partnership! The Dash suffered a blowout 4-0 loss to the Spirit last night. With this win, the Spirit bagged its second consecutive playoff berth.

They last made it to the playoffs in 2024 and lost to the Orlando Pride by a single goal. Between that near miss and this season, Magic Johnson joined the ownership group in September 2025, and the Spirit has been nothing but high! Soon after the Houston game, the NBA legend was all over social media to celebrate his team. “Congratulations to my @washspirit for clinching the NWSL 2025 playoffs! Cookie and I are so excited about the post season and are hoping for another chance at the Championship this year!”

The Washington Spirit’s official social media handle also didn’t waste any time letting the world know how delighted they were. They posted a heartwarming team huddle graphic with the word ‘Clinched’ superimposed. Additionally, they wrote, “Let ‘em know the Spirit IS IN 🗣️” The Spirit has mostly been on edge about their marquee star, Trinity Rodman’s health and recurring back issues. She spent a harrowing four months rehabbing and gearing up for her return.

“The hardest part was just getting up every day and knowing that I wasn’t going to be playing a game on the weekend,” Rodman told 7News. She returned to the pitch in early August, making an immediate impact, and it’s only been a positive journey ever since!

Magic Johnson himself needed this major pick-me-up. His other Washington team, the Commanders, had a bad week.

Magic Johnson has a reason to be excited again!

The Washington Commanders suffered a 34-27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, who, before this game, weren’t the frontrunners to win. But the former’s defensive line practically handed the game to them. Instead of publicly sharing his notes on the loss as he tends to do, Magic Johnson focused on his friends who joined him at the game. We’d like to look at it as him trying to find the silver lining.

Johnson wasn’t there at the Spirit-Dash game (at least he wasn’t seen there), but he didn’t miss Gift Monday’s heroics. She was responsible for three of the four goals in this win. Rodman (whose relationship with her NBA legend dad, Dennis Rodman, is as much a rollercoaster as Magic’s own history with The Worm) was instrumental with her two assists to Monday.

The striker’s hat trick and Sofia Cantore’s goal with an assist from Narumi Miura brings the Washington Spirit back to the point they were at last year. And with Magic Johnson’s encouragement, they look like they have the potential to go farther this time.

The Kansas City Current was the first squad to punch a postseason ticket and already has the NWSL shield for the best overall record this season. The Spirit ranks second, 16 points behind the Current and six points above the third-ranked Gotham FC.

Trinity Rodman and Co. will hit the road to face their rival, Gotham FC, for a midweek CONCACAF W Champions Cup group stage match. That will be followed by a home game against the San Diego Wave FC on Sunday, Oct. 5.