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Oregon Ducks Family Tied to Top Premier League Club

From the turf to the pitch, soccer fever has infected the Oregon Ducks as defensive back Aaron Flowers' brother signs with Chelsea Football Club of the Premier League.
Oregon defensive back Aaron Flowers goes up for a pass during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon defensive back Aaron Flowers goes up for a pass during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If Oregon Ducks fans have yet to catch the soccer bug after the US-based FIFA World Cup, then perhaps a familial connection to the program will jumpstart a new sports fixation.

On Thursday, sophomore defensive back Aaron Flowers' youngest brother Benji Flowers (15 years old) signed with Premier League giant Chelsea Football Club. He'll join the historic team from his current program where he plays forward, FC Dallas, when he turns 18 years old.

Oregon Fighting Ducks' Dierre Hill Jr., left, can’t quiet evade the touch from Combat Duck’s Aaron Flowers during the first h
Oregon Fighting Ducks' Dierre Hill Jr., left, can’t quiet evade the touch from Combat Duck’s Aaron Flowers during the first half of the Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Aaron Flower's Soccer Star Brother

As the youngest first-team signing in FC Dallas history and second youngest overall player in the club's history, Benji Flowers joined FC Dallas Academy at age 10.

“I've always wanted to do this, it’s my hometown club, so it's an amazing achievement. I didn't know it was going to come this soon, but it's a moment I’ve dreamt of. I'm thankful to everyone who supported me and I can't wait to start my career. It's one step of the ladder and I still want to be the best player to come out of MLS," Flowers said in an interview with FC Dallas in July, four months after he made his MLS NEXT Pro debut.

During his MLS NEXT Pro turn with FC Dallas affiliate North Texas SC, Flowers played in three matches. He also represented the United States at the U-15 level and tallied two goals in three appearances during that time as a winger.

Adding Flowers to Chelsea FC's upcoming roster is a big move to bring more American players to elite leagues like Premier. Especially after the fandom that followed the FIFA World Cup, soccer teams eager to gather more American fans looking for a team can begin in efforts to bring more US players into international fame.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III (14) scrambles as Oregon Ducks defensive ba
Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III (14) scrambles as Oregon Ducks defensive back Aaron Flowers (21) tackles during the first quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to reporting from The Athletics, Benji Flowers' deal from Chelsea to FC Dallas involves an initial payment of $3 million. The agreement includes performance-based add-ons with the ceiling of the deals reaching $10 million for the Longview, Texas native.

Aaron Flowers Reacts to Benji Flowers' Latest Signing

Oregon Ducks defensive back Aaron Flowers posts about his brother Benji Flowers signing to FC Dallas and Chelsea FC.
Oregon Ducks defensive back Aaron Flowers posts about his brother Benji Flowers signing to FC Dallas and Chelsea FC. | @aaronf on Instagram

To celebrate his brother's recent success, Aaron Flowers re-posted three photos of his brother on his Instagram story. On his first post about the deal, with a photo of Benji signing his contract with FC Dallas, Flowers commented, "So proud."

Aaron Flowers, a star in Oregon's secondary, put up 37 solo tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception, and three passes defended in 2025. His best game of the 2025 season was arguably during Oregon's 56-10 beatdown on the road against Rutgers after their brutal 30-20 home loss against Indiana. Against the Scarlet Knights, Flowers put up five total tackles with a forced fumble and an interception.

After playing well off of Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman last season, Aaron feels he's ready to step into more of a leading role in the Ducks' secondary, especially with the introduction of Minnesota transfer safety Koi Perich.

"Just my IQ and stuff. I feel like I just know the offensive plays half the time, so that really helps," Aaron said during spring practice regarding his ability to succeed at playing free saftey in tandem with his teammates. "And then a guy in Dillon, him being super smart, physical down in the box, we played really well off each other."

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Published | Modified
Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A born and raised Oregonian, Ally Osborne has a passion for sporting events across her home state. She began writing for Oregon Ducks on SI in 2021. Currently a morning talk show host and sports reporter for KOIN 6 and Portland's CW in Portland, Oregon, Ally is engrained in her community. Finding and sharing stories that highlight the unique culture and connectivity sports creates is a part of her DNA. She frequently contributes sports content to KOIN's broadcast and streaming platforms while hosting talk show "Everyday Northwest" and video podcast "Tower Talk Live" every weekday. With Portland being her third-worked television market (second in Oregon), Osborne brings hard-news and feature-reporting experience to compliment her expertise for sports storytelling. Her journalistic endeavors and art creations (many of which are inspired by the Oregon Ducks) can be found on her social media pages. Ally graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace.