Downing scored his third goal of the season against Sunderland in a 1–1 draw away from home on 13 December 2014. A week later, he scored against Leicester City, curling a left-footed shot from 20 yards as West Ham won 2–0. Return to Middlesbrough On 16 July 2015, Downing returned to boyhood club Middlesbrough, signing a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, reported to be in the region of £5.5 million, potentially rising to £7 million if the club were to gain promotion to the Premier League. The first match of his return was on 9 August 2015, a goalless draw away to Preston North End in the first Championship match of the season. On 12 September 2015, he netted the first goal of his second spell, to open a 2–0 win over Milton Keynes Dons at the Riverside. Middlesbrough secured promotion on the final day of the season, after a 1–1 draw with promotion rivals Brighton & Hove Albion at home, gaining automatic promotion as runners-up. Downing faced competition ahead of the club's first season back in the top flight with the signings of Gastón Ramírez, Viktor Fischer and Adama Traoré. In January 2017, Middlesbrough announced that they would allow Downing to leave on loan during that winter transfer window, as Downing had not been a regular starter throughout the league campaign. Despite interest from Crystal Palace, no move materialised and Downing remained at the club. Downing suffered a second relegation with Middlesbrough, when they were relegated back down to the Championship. After relegation, Downing was informed by new manager Garry Monk that he could leave the club. Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp offered Downing a two-year contract, with Redknapp stating that he is a "keen admirer" of the player. The transfer fell through, though Downing soon regained his place at Middlesbrough after Tony Pulis replaced Monk in December. Downing was one of four players released by Middlesbrough at the end of the 2018–19 season, having totalled 404 appearances in his two spells at the club. Blackburn Rovers Downing signed for Championship club Blackburn Rovers on 21 June 2019 on a one-year contract. He scored his first goal for Blackburn in an EFL Cup second round tie against Oldham Athletic on 13 August, a 3–2 home win. Despite being an ever-present throughout the 2019–20 season, Downing's departure from the club was announced on 24 June 2020 on the expiration