Vince Young: The Comeback Story That Never Happened
By Kyle Zwiazek
Former Tennessee Titans Quarterback Vince Young joined the CFL team Saskatchewan Roughriders earlier this year.
Like all stories in professional sports, there are up and downs. The career of Vince Young was marred by many ups and downs. He went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Coming out of college, he was the golden boy that could bring the Tennessee Titans to the promised land. Well, at least that is what every Titans fan thought.
The man was supposed to be the heir to the Titans quarterback throne, a throne that has always seemed to be filled by duel threat athletes. The original King to the Nashville Kingdom was a gunslinging runner named Steve McNair. Young was the perfect prospect to come in and take over the position after McNair moved on to Baltimore. He had the size, the speed, the intangibles and the arm strength, but unfortunately it just did not work out in Nashville.
Tennessee Titans
After his career with the Titans, Young went on to audition for many different jobs in the NFL. He stuck around the league, but was never given the opportunity to start. That combined with some off the field issues ultimately led to the demise of the quarterback. Now he is just a name of someone with all the talent in the world who could not put it all together. Those players are a dime a dozen and end up in NFL obscurity.
A Comeback
It has been no secret that Young was looking for another shot. He signed up for the NFL Veterans Combine, but was not accepted. All in all, it looked like all of his opportunities had dried up. That was until the Canadian Football League came knocking. The CFL is an amazing league. Players that do not succeed in the NFL end up in the CFL to try to keep their professional football dreams alive. Many current NFLers even got their start in the CFL. Names like Cameron Wake, Brandon Browner, Jerrell Freeman and Andrew Hawkins made an impact in the CFL and currently are in the NFL. Others like Doug Flutie, Joe Theisman, Warren Moon, Ricky Williams, Joe Horn, Mike Vanderjagt and Jon Ryan spent time in the CFL then found success in America. Young had a chance to add his name to that list.
More from Titans News
- Tennessee Titans suspiciously quiet about major draft need
- Tennessee Titans agree to new deal with star Jeffery Simmons
- Caesars Promo Code Expires Soon – Claim $1,250 Today
- 3 needs that are being overblown by Tennessee Titans fans
- Tennessee Titans have potential dilemmas in 2023 NFL Draft
He signed a contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on March 8, 2017. The deal was that Young would be brought in to compete against the current quarterback crop on the roster. This was a plot line straight out of Hollywood. If Young could win the job and impress in Canada, he may get another NFL shot. That all came to a screeching halt when Young tore his hamstring on June 12th. The former Texas product was subsequently released a few days later.
The End
As a Titans fan, it was tough not to root for a Young comeback. He was the quarterback that we had dreams about, much like Marcus Mariota today. When you see potential, you just want the guy to succeed. This looks like it may be the last chapter to the Vince Young book. Maybe he will get one more shot, maybe he will not. For now, we can just think about what could have been.