Vince Young almost retired after Rookie Season

*LeBulger* · #1 (**permalink**) -27-05-2008

ESPN - Pressure almost pushed Young out of NFL after one season - NFL

Pressure almost pushed Young out of NFL after one season

Vince Young is known for escaping pressure. The quarterback almost took that to extremes.

The Tennessee Titans 2006 Rookie of the Year told NFL.com in an interview posted on Monday that he considered retirement after his first season.

"I really thought long and hard about it," Young told the Web site. "There was so much going on with my family. It was crazy being an NFL quarterback. It wasn't fun anymore. All of the fun was out of it. All of the excitement was gone. All I was doing was worrying about things.
"My teammates helped lift me out of it. I prayed really hard. And I began to focus on God's calling for me. Play football. Be a role model."
Young was installed as the Titans starter in Week 4 of his rookie season and led Tennessee to an 8-8 record. The Titans barely missed making the playoffs, but Young was named to the Pro Bowl.

Last season, the Titans did make it to the playoffs, but Young threw all nine of the team's touchdown passes for the fewest of any team in the league. Nonetheless, he learned to live with the pressure of being an NFL quarterback.

He proved that to himself when he handled scrutiny that came his way when pictures of him drinking shirtless at a party showed up on the Internet.

"I have a stronger circle," Young told the Web site. "Now I can handle this kind of stuff without it making me want to give up football. I learned that 24/7 I'm representing the Titans and, especially, the kids all over I am trying to influence. I look at my man Michael Vick. I learned from that. I look at Pacman [Jones]. I learned from that. I look at some troubles recently for rappers T.I. and Lil Wayne, guys I listen to. I learned from them. I've learned from my life."

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Wow. That really shcoked me when I first read it. I mean, we all knew Young has always struggled to cope mentally with being the core of the Titans and having to try and live up to being such a high draft pick, but I at least never imagined it had reached such drastic levels after his first year.

It just goes to show - absolutely ANYTHING can happen in the NFL.

*jkramsfan* · #2 (**permalink**) -27-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeBulger

ESPN - Pressure almost pushed Young out of NFL after one season - NFL

Pressure almost pushed Young out of NFL after one season

Vince Young is known for escaping pressure. The quarterback almost took that to extremes.

The Tennessee Titans 2006 Rookie of the Year told NFL.com in an interview posted on Monday that he considered retirement after his first season.

"I really thought long and hard about it," Young told the Web site. "There was so much going on with my family. It was crazy being an NFL quarterback. It wasn't fun anymore. All of the fun was out of it. All of the excitement was gone. All I was doing was worrying about things.
"My teammates helped lift me out of it. I prayed really hard. And I began to focus on God's calling for me. Play football. Be a role model."
Young was installed as the Titans starter in Week 4 of his rookie season and led Tennessee to an 8-8 record. The Titans barely missed making the playoffs, but Young was named to the Pro Bowl.

Last season, the Titans did make it to the playoffs, but Young threw all nine of the team's touchdown passes for the fewest of any team in the league. Nonetheless, he learned to live with the pressure of being an NFL quarterback.

He proved that to himself when he handled scrutiny that came his way when pictures of him drinking shirtless at a party showed up on the Internet.

"I have a stronger circle," Young told the Web site. "Now I can handle this kind of stuff without it making me want to give up football. I learned that 24/7 I'm representing the Titans and, especially, the kids all over I am trying to influence. I look at my man Michael Vick. I learned from that. I look at Pacman [Jones]. I learned from that. I look at some troubles recently for rappers T.I. and Lil Wayne, guys I listen to. I learned from them. I've learned from my life."

--------------------------------------

Wow. That really shcoked me when I first read it. I mean, we all knew Young has always struggled to cope mentally with being the core of the Titans and having to try and live up to being such a high draft pick, but I at least never imagined it had reached such drastic levels after his first year.

It just goes to show - absolutely ANYTHING can happen in the NFL.

maybe he struggles with the fact he came into the NFL overrated and now has to try and live up to it, which he won't,but I don't believe for one minute he was thinking of retiring and do what ?

**txramsfan** · #3 (**permalink**) -27-05-2008

Outside of anyone wearing a Rams uni, this is the one guy in the NFL I'm rooting for. He's always tabbed as he can't do this, or he can't do that....but with the WR's he has how on this Earth is he supposed to put up any kind of high draft pick numbers?

If Bulger had that receiver corp to throw to......most of you would want to run him out of town.