Drama once again surrounds Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young. On a day that saw him booed by his home fans, apparently for his failure to target new receiver Randy Moss, Young was forced to leave the game with an injured hand, later revealed to be a torn tendon in his thumb that may need surgery, likely ending his season.
His departure was greeted by cheers from the fans and Young responded by throwing his uniform and shoulder pads into the stands.
The bigger news, however, might be that Young's career as a Titan could also have come to an end. After leaving the field abruptly, chased by former Texas teammate Michael Griffin, to whom Young reportedly directed some choice words, Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher announced to the media after the game that Young is no longer his starting quarterback. Fisher also revealed that Young made a comment to him after the game that he would not reveal, but which likely put an already strained relationship to or past the point of no return.
The scene seems eerily reminiscent of Young's behavior two years ago when he responded in a similarly poor manner to an injury and some boos from the home crowd, which likewise cost him his starting job to Kerry Collins.
Previously, it was easier to forgive Young for his mistakes as a player who had never been let down by his body or struggled with consistent failure. Now, the regression and continued poor choices once again bring into question his maturity and ability to deal with adverse circumstances.
And while that won't taint his achievements at Texas, rather than becoming the NFL superstar many expected, Young's future as even a starter in the league once again hangs in the balance.