Unsurprisingly, the Tennessee Titans have announced that they won't be bringing Vince Young back for 2011. While one never enjoys seeing a favorite player cut, perhaps nobody in the NFL needed a fresh start more than VY. Young was having his best statistical season as a pro in 2010 before injuries derailed him after 10 games. Then things got ugly.
VY departs the Titans with a 31-18 record as starter. Titans head coach Jeff Fisher seemed to never like VY, although his winning percentage with Vince as starter (63%) is over 10% higher than games without Vince during Fisher's 16 year NFL career (52%). The popular impression, however, has always been that Bud Adams forced Fisher to draft Young and play Young in 2009 when the Titans were 0-6.
But what's done is done and there are a number of sensible places for Young to land next season. Minnesota, San Francisco, Buffalo, Arizona, Washington, and Miami will all likely be looking for a new QB, and a league where Max Hall is a starting quarterback will likely have a spot for a second chance for #10.
Reaction from Vince has come from Jim Wyatt's twitter feed, detailed after the jump:
"I thank Bud Adams and Jeff Fisher for giving me a chance to win the Super Bowl. I tried my best, I really did.’’
"I will continue to keep working. Wherever I go I will be committed like I am committed to everything.’’
"Everything was my fault. But that’s over now . I wish Coach Fisher and Bud Adams and all my coaches and teammates best. "
"I didn’t feel like I was his guy all the way. I put in a lot of work and my stats and my winning, it showed I had grown. "
"I feel like (Jeff) was continuing to treat me like I was a young man when I'd really grown up a whole lot.’’
"I didn’t feel like (Jeff) trusted me. In the five years I was there, I was always looking over my shoulder."
""I have nothing against Jeff Fisher. I just wish he would have trusted me a little more. That was the only issue. "
"I am bitter a little bit, because I’ll miss the guys . From the trainers to the janitors, I appreciated everyone there "