The stories about former University of Texas quarterback and NFL bust Vince Young are as plentiful as they are sad.
No NFL team wants him. Not even the Buffalo Bills. He is broke. He took a $300,000 loan out to throw himself a party.
But, according to University of Texas head football coach Mack Brown, VY is back at UT and his working towards finishing his degree. Only needs about 112 more hours (sorry, that's an easy shot).
Now the weird part - according to Sports Illustrated's college football writer Stewart Mandel, VY has not given up on the NFL just yet; Brown said that VY is planning on working out at UT's Pro Day.
That's right, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft and a man with a career record of 31-19 as an NFL starting quarterback will be working out with potential draftees in Austin soon. It's just stupid enough it could work.
Vince is 29, and athletically it's there. He didn't play at all last season after he was cut in training camp by the Buffalo Bills because he couldn't beat out Tavaris Jackson behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The question is whether VY be trusted as a backup - to know the plays, be a pro, show up on time, and not be any kind of distraction for a minimum price. He's never going to be a reliable starter again, not that he ever was.
These types of moves - earning the degree and trying out again on Pro Day - suggest a man who once boasted how humble he was truly has been humbled. Teams like that.
VY would have been wise to try to play in the CFL, but appears to want this bad enough to stand next to a bunch of college kids for another shot.
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Someone with your remedial writing skills shouldn't be casting stones at anyone.
Posted by: Grant | 03/05/2013 at 01:42 PM
I am a huge Texas fan but this story takes the cake. Vinny has to be eating crow 24/7. The guy fought with a very powerful and very tenured TN Titans heach coach Jeff Fisher. While they both got fired, Fisher has gone on to another NFL team and is making millions while Vinny is going to be pumping gas. It's too bad he let his huge ego run away with what could have been an amazing NFL career. I hope he gets another shot to redeem himself. He is young enough, good enough, and if he can eat some humble pie (he can't) he could find a spot in The League again.
Posted by: horns up | 03/05/2013 at 01:43 PM
Terrible blog post. You mention that Vince Young was never a reliable starter, but also cite his 31-19 record. You failed to mention that he was also the rookie of the year and made the Pro Bowl.
Why should Vince quit or join the CFL? So long as guys like John Parker Wilson have NFL jobs, so should Vince.
Posted by: Trent | 03/05/2013 at 01:44 PM
Trent must be smarter than the execs at all 32 NFL teams. You can argue Pro Bowl and Rookie of the Year (6 years ago!), but the fact that nobody wants him is evidence enough that he is a giant bust and not worth the hassle.
As far as being a reliable starter? Andy Dalton has more TD passes in two seasons than VY had (past tense)in his entire NFL career, with half as many INT. A reliable starter doesn't have to "earn his job back" three years into his career. I think unstable, erratic, and inconsistent are more accurate adjectives for your boy Vince "I Love Cheesecake" Young.
Posted by: Michael | 03/05/2013 at 04:13 PM
YV was the man in Texas. I liked him as a pro but I never thought he quite got over the hump. Impress guy though. I hope he comes back to Texas and does something with the University. Good guy. And great Texan.
Posted by: Texas, '67 | 03/06/2013 at 09:03 AM
If Vince Young were a used car he'd be the "Manager's Special:" looks great, has everything you want, and the price is definitely right. Then you check under the hood.
Posted by: bud holladay | 03/06/2013 at 10:05 PM