Texas Football: 3 best Vince Young seasons in the NFL
The NFL career of the former legendary Texas football quarterback Vince Young was less than stellar and didn’t really meet expectations over the long haul. And there’s a multitude of reasons why VY didn’t find the same level of success in the NFL that he did in college.
VY was the third overall pick of the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He was part of that 2006 NFL Draft class that came out of college with a ton of expectation. That illustrious 2006 draft class included skill position weapons like former USC running back Reggie Bush, Maryland tight end Vernon Davis, USC quarterback Matt Leinart, and Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler.
But the way that the 2006 draft class turned out was extremely volatile. While Bush did have a lengthy career in the NFL as a skill position and special teams weapon, he didn’t ever live up to that Pro Bowl level billing on a consistent basis. VY only lasted six seasons total in the NFL, and Leinart never really lasted as a starting quarterback at this level either.
Meanwhile, a few of the other top 10 draft picks in that class outside of the skill positions did really well. Former Texas defensive back Michael Huff was a quality contributor for a number of years with the Oakland Raiders. Former NC State defensive end Mario Williams was also a four-time Pro Bowler, starting his career with the Houston Texans.
Moreover, the way that the career of VY turned out in the NFL was a story of twists and turns and ultimately him ending up on the wrong path. Sometimes it included him getting in his own way. He spent five seasons with the Titans and one with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was also given the chance to succeed behind star quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers in 2013, but didn’t last. Between 2012-2014, he also had various preseason stints with the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns.
Nonetheless, here’s a look back at the more positive points of VY’s NFL career and the three best seasons he had at the pro level.