Young lashes out at QB Fitzpatrick, former coach Fisher
Ex-National Football League quarterback and college phenom Vince Young, whose comeback with the Saskatchewan Roughriders was cut short this year when he suffered a torn hamstring, opened up to Sports Illustrated about the events that pushed him out of the U.S. league and to file for bankruptcy.
He ripped former Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher and current NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Young, now on the Riders’ retired list, blasted Fitzpatrick, who recently signed with Tampa Bay despite being third in the league in interceptions with the New York Jets in 2016. Fitzpatrick has played for seven NFL teams.
“I’d see a QB and be like, ‘Dude is garbage, and I’m over here in the kitchen cooking turkey necks,’” Young told SI. “I hate to name-drop, but Fitzpatrick is still playing? He leads the league in interceptions, and he’s still (expletive) getting paid? I mean what the (expletive)?”
Young, who had a rocky relationship with Fisher on the Titans from 2006-10, tried to refrain from criticizing his former coach by noting: “I’m saving that for my book.”
Young called Fisher “jealous” and “envious.” he blamed Fisher for “the suicide incident” in 2008 that he believed marred his reputation.
After an injury against Jacksonville, Young missed a medical exam and left his house carrying a gun; he was licensed and said he normally carried it with him. Young was noticeably hurt after being booed by fans. His concerned mother called the Titans. Young said Fisher called the team therapist and police.
At the team facility, Young said eight police and a negotiator met him. While the negotiator asked if he was going to hurt himself, Young suggested Fisher orchestrated the sit-down on purpose to spite him.
“I’m looking at Fisher like, you can stop all this, all this suicidal talk,” Young said. “He’s sitting there, not saying nothing. I feel like he was just laughing at that (expletive). The cameraman hiding in the woods — it all felt like a big setup. And now I gotta walk through the airport as the Suicidal Guy for the rest of my life.”