BREAKING: VY Not Returning To Titans In 2011

Titans' owner Bud Adams announced Wednesday evening that quarterback Vince Young will not be on the team's roster next season.

He released the following statement to the Titans website:

"As you are aware, we have been engaged in a series of internal discussions over the last month about the future of our football team. We have two critical decisions to make – the direction of the coaching staff and the future at the quarterback position. They are separate issues to me and will be dealt with separately.

"Today, I informed our general manager Mike Reinfeldt to move forward with plans to begin the process of identifying the next quarterback for our franchise. He will inform Vince Young's agent that Vince will not be on our roster next season. I want to offer my personal thanks to Vince for all of his positive contributions to the club. These kinds of decisions are never easy and this is especially true for this particular player. I certainly wish that things would have worked out better, but I think it is best for the franchise that we move on at this point.

"I also informed Jeff (Fisher) today that I was continuing the evaluation of the coaching staff and I am hoping to make a decision soon."

Here's part of what went down in Nashvegas...
((HT: NBC/Youtube))


Titans General Manager Mike Reinfeldt released the following statement as well:

"I talked with Vince's agent Tom Condon today and informed him that Vince will not figure into the club's plans for next season. Under league rules, Vince's contract cannot be terminated until February 7 when waivers begin for the new season. Similarly, he cannot be traded to another club until trading begins on the first day of the league year. Until then, Vince is welcome to rehab his injury either here at our facility or elsewhere.

"I let Mr. Adams know that we will explore all of the options that are available to us to solidify the quarterback position for the upcoming season."

And here's a E:60 piece that ESPN did on Vince Young that goes into a little background on the troubled QB...
((HT: ESPN))

Titans to Vince Young: Please leave the practice facility

Young on sidelines/Courtesy: robert smith-gannett tennessee

Wow...we knew that the team was less than thrilled with their mercurial quarterback's latest temper tantrum...but this is a bit of a surprise.

Apparently, according to multiple reports, the Titans asked Young to leave after he showed up at the teams practice facility to attend meetings. He was apparently told "He wouldn't be needed".

Read more on this from the Tennessean RIGHT HERE

While this is somewhat of a bold statement on coach Jeff Fisher's part, we see a big problem on the near horizon. Sure, the team is putting him on injured reserve and despite what Young says about wanting to go back in the game this past Sunday, his injury would've prevented it. This sounds a bit like some lines being drawn in the sand.

Titans owner Bud Adams has already made it pretty clear that he wants Fisher and Young to just get along, but it may no longer be possible. The question is "Who does he choose?". Do you pick your long-time head coach who has led the team to tons of success? Or do you go with your $12 million a year QB who keeps having hissy fits when things don't go his way?

We know what we'd choose, but we aren't a multi-gazillionaire owner either. In our opinion Mr. Young needs some serious maturity lessons and believe that is what Fisher is trying to do. If for some reason Adams decides to side with Young and get rid of Fisher, you can bet on two things: One, Fisher will be snapped up by another team...immediately, he's that good a coach and Two, it will be tough finding a "Top Level" coach who wants to baby-sit the owners high-priced, prima donna, not nearly as good as he or the owner thinks quarterback.

Update: Just after we posted this, word came the Titans released a statement about today's events. From the Titans website:

Tennessean reports indicating that Vince Young is not welcome at Baptist Sports Park are incorrect. Yesterday, he was informed by a coach at the facility not to attend Monday’s team meeting and was free to leave.  The intention was to be able to talk to the team about Young’s situation and how the team would move forward. Players that are on injured reserve are not required to attend team meetings. As of today, he has been placed on injured reserve and all the same rules apply to him as to any other player in that category.”


This whole scenario, reminds me a little bit of this:

Vince Young gets hurt...throws a hissy fit...

Vince Young is confused/Courtesy: TCSportsreport.com

And the Tennessee Titans...or at least head coach Jeff Fisher are growing tired of it. The Titans lost in overtime yesterday to the Washington Redskins on a field goal, 19-13.

And Young, played alright during the game, until he got hurt, damaging a ligament in the thumb on his throwing hand. Stuff like that happens. But it was what happened afterwards that has Fisher and a lot of Tennessee fans shaking their Titanic heads.

According to reports, Young threw at least part of his jersey at people in the stands, then went into the locker room where he got into a shouting match with his coach and then stormed out of the locker room.

Tennessean columnist David Climer says Young's days in Nashville may be over RIGHT HERE

Our friends at NewsChannel 5 speak to the people about it:



Here is a breakdown from Football Night in America last night :

Vince Young has some 'splainin' to do....

This probably shouldn't be a complete shock. Vince Young, Tennessee Titans Quarterback and reclamation project is in a bit of trouble right now.

Mr. Young apparently had a bit of an issue this past weekend. He was cited for assault after video of an altercation surfaced inside of Club Onyx in Dallas.

Check out video of the altercation, courtesy of KDFW-TV in Dallas:

In a moment that may come back to haunt him a bit. Young apparently left the fight/club scene after the incident. However he probably didn't know that the incident was on video. And it pretty much speaks for itself.

Expect, along with some legal punishment, for the Titans and the NFL to take some action. Though it may not be as serious as some other incidents, it still doesn't look very good.

Good News, Bad News On McNair Front

First, the bad...

Since Steve McNair died without a will, his widow Mechelle is having to fight through the Probate process to get what belongs to the family...

There's a lesson there, people...
Here's your update from WKRN-TV/News 2 in Nashville
Bob Mueller has the lead story...

Now the good news...

Vince Young did a really classy thing the other day...

Jim Wyatt's article in the Tennessean tells us that Young filled in for McNair as a father figure for his two younger son's pancake breakfast for their christian academy's "Dear Dad's Breakfast."

Vince took Trenton and Tyler out- nicely done...

"It was a great, great gesture,'' said Julie Dilworth, admissions director at St. Paul Christian Academy. "All the kids had been talking about the dads' breakfast and (Trenton and Tyler) were wondering what was going to happen with them.
"They were thrilled … the boys came to school with huge smiles on their faces.''

Thousands Mourn McNair In Hattiesburg

((HT: ESPN))

Titans quarterback Vince Young didn't expect to speak Saturday during his mentor's funeral. He wound up summing up the emotional day with just a few words.

"Steve was like a hero to me, and heroes are not supposed to die," Young said before stopping to rub his eyes as he talked about the man he knew from football camps as a teenager and called "Pops" -- Steve McNair, his predecessor with the Titans.

McNair was shot and killed on the Fourth of July by his girlfriend, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, who then shot herself in the head.

Nearly 5,000 turned out to say goodbye to the 36-year-old during one of the biggest funerals in the recent history of Mississippi, McNair's home state.

Fans and old friends filed into the Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi, and McNair's family rented buses to haul in people from his hometown of Mount Olive. Not far away sat men who competed against McNair or coached him on the field.

The high school football team McNair's son plays on wore their jerseys in honor of the man they often saw smiling from the sidelines.

"Mississippi has lost a tremendous legend," said Cardell Jones, McNair's college coach at Alcorn State.

The hearse carrying McNair's silvery-gray casket was escorted 30 miles down Highway 49 by nine police officers on motorcycles and several vehicles carried family members. After the two-hour service, the procession headed back down the road for a private burial at Griffith Cemetery, about 20 miles from Mount Olive.

Police escorted McNair's wife, Mechelle, and his mother, Lucille ((pictured, thanks Clarion-Ledger/Joe Ellis)), into the stadium beforehand. Near the end, a handful of people surrounded his mother and his sons, waving them with fans and programs and giving hugs.

Brett Favre, who had a home near McNair's here in Hattiesburg, sat a few rows behind the McNair family but did not speak. Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler attended. Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to win the Super Bowl, also was on hand.

Young was added to the service late, and the quarterback drafted by Tennessee in 2006to replace McNair remembered him as a father and mentor. Young said he felt selfish at times taking McNair away from his four sons to help him through his own life.

He then pointed at the Oak Grove High football team sitting in the stands and told them not to give up if they have someone who inspires them.

"Pay attention to that guy because every day you know I had to hear that guy's voice," Young said.

Lewis played against McNair and was his teammate the final two years of his NFL career. Lewis said he learned studying film and proper technique wouldn't help him beat a quarterback fueled by will, heart and sacrifice.

"I find myself in awe when I speak about a man like Steve McNair," Lewis said.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was among those who sent flowers. Titans owner Bud Adams attended a memorial service Thursday night in Nashville, where thousands more attended. Fisher was called up to speak from the audience, and he pulled Young over to the podium and led the audience in the Lord's Prayer just as he did during 11 seasons with McNair before every kickoff.

Bobby Hamilton, who played at Southern Miss and in the NFL with New England and Oakland, used to sleep on the floor of McNair's oldest brother, Fred, when he played at Alcorn State. He also cheered on McNair during his career and recalled how McNair rallied Alcorn State once by scoring two touchdowns with less than a minute left.

"It's very painful. We know he was a warrior. ... I can't even say the word how this warrior went down," an emotional Hamilton said.

The program included memories from McNair's mother, his wife and sons, brothers, and nieces and nephews. Photos were also displayed of the quarterback who played 13 NFL seasons with Tennessee and Baltimore before retiring in 2008.

Coach Nevil Barr brought the jersey-clad Oak Grove team to the service. Steve McNair Jr. attends Oak Grove, and his father joined Favre at a summer workout two weeks ago to play catch with the kids.

"He was on our sideline every Friday night supporting his son," Barr said. "He loved to come watch Steve Jr., and we loved having him there. He always had that smile."

Deloris Cagins of nearby Columbia wore the purple and gold of McNair's alma mater, Alcorn State, and had a pompom tied to her walker. She has relatives who eventually joined her beloved Braves, where McNair made a Heisman Trophy run and set a number of NCAA Division I-AA records before going third overall in the NFL draft in 1995 to the then-Houston Oilers.

"Alcornites to me are a different breed of people," she said. "It's like a family. If you do something, we'll support you."

Here's coverage from Reed Green Coliseum, thanks to our friends at WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg...


The service, in its entirety, is here...thanks to our friends at Eaglevision...