Titans quarterback Vince Young has lost his hold on the starting job, coach Jeff Fisher said following Tennessee's 19-16 overtime loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
Fisher's comments followed an emotional day for Young in which the fifth-year signal-caller was booed, injured his thumb, threw his shoulder pads into the stands, stormed out of LP Field without talking to the media and reportedly verbally sparred with his coach following the game. “I'm not running out on my teammates, I'm running out on you.” -- Vince Young to Jeff Fisher, according to The Tennessean
Young, who tore the flexor tendon in his right thumb late in the third quarter and was replaced by rookie Rusty Smith, left for the locker room after being hurt but returned to the sideline and had the thumb taped and re-taped in an effort to return. He even tried a glove, but Fisher stuck with Smith.
After the game, Young walked toward the tunnel and suddenly tossed his shoulder pads and jersey into the stands.
When the team gathered in the locker room following the loss, Young began muttering and cursing under his breath as Fisher addressed the team, the Tennessean reported Sunday night.
After Fisher asked Young to be quiet, the paper said, the quarterback finished dressing and prepared to leave the room. Fisher told Young to stop and not to "run out on your teammates," sources told The Tennessean. Young told Fisher, "I'm not running out on my teammates, I'm running out on you," the paper said.
Young then left the locker room and ignored media members as Titans safety and former University of Texas teammate Michael Griffin chased after him. The Tennessean reported that Griffin was seen confronting Young in the players' parking lot.
Griffin reportedly pleaded with Young, "You can't leave, you can't do this," before Young shrugged and left.
Griffin denied chasing after Young, but multiple media outlets reported witnessing the incident. Griffin did say that he hoped people can set aside their egos and personal feelings so they could stick together as a team. Told that Young's injury could end his season, Griffin said he didn't know that.
"Whatever happens, that's between them two," Griffin said of Fisher and Young. "I'm just trying to be a loyal teammate and a supporter."
VY is tremendously talented but he has got to grow up. Egging on the fans as they boo will not make things better. Throwing your shoulder pads into the seats as you walk off will not make things better. Take your lumps and grow from them. It reminds me of Tim Couch (who wasn't nearly as talented as VY) and when the fans booed him. In the locker room after the game, he started crying in interviews saying the fans were being mean. That does not make things better.
VY is a captain and the way he acts does not exemplify what it means to be a captain. Jeff Fisher is one of the longest tenured and most respected coaches in the league and VY should pay attention to that and just follow Fisher. I'm sure Fisher wants nothing more than for VY to fulfill his talent. The guy just needs to grow up.
5 comments:
Cut him - his time is done in Tennessee. He will get another chance somewhere else, but I agree with you he has got to change and grow up.
I will say this - I was surprised to see the fans booing so much so early. The team was 5-4 in a close game and the fans were ripping into the team/Vince. It seemed ridiculous to me.
That is the nature of fans today I suppose.
Should we go back to the archived legendary exchange between Rob and JKSD about VY? I'm amazed that there is current agreement considering what transpired in the past.
This is actually crap. Before the game, VY was considered a threat on an improving team. I'm sure he will be back.
I'm sure he won't be. Very promising, but too high maintenance. I'm sure there are plenty of people in the organization that want to move on.
If I were Fisher, I would just cut him loose right now for his insubordination.
Interesting that Scott pulls out the disagreement Robs and I had about VY earlier. This is just more of the same with him. It isn't just one or two issues with him. He has shown a pattern of insubordination and lack of mental toughness.
It would probably be best for both sides to let him go.
What has Jeff Fisher really done as a coach? I like the guy and think he is a solid coach but I don't think he is an elite coach in the NFL.
I think he has completely mishandled VY and he has undermined him from day one. VY saved his job last year by going 8-2 down the stretch after regaining his starting job from an ineffective Collins.
He did the same his rookie year.
I think Jeff Fisher has consistently and regularly undermined VY and Vince just got sick of it. It is one thing to deal with booing fans - and Vince needs to be able to do that better - but when your coach refuses to support you and is constantly pulling you it is hard to work in that environment.
The dude is 30-17 as a starter. He is a big time player. He will succeed in the NFL and I suspect he will thrive when he gets to his new team.
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