There have been a number of little moments already this season where we’ve seen Washington’s rookie DE Chase Young step up in a big way not on the field, but on the sidelines either before or during a game. Whether it’s his ability to fire up the pre-game huddle before kickoff, or the sight up him sprinting down the sideline to celebrate a big play made by his teammates, wherever the excitement is, Chase is there.
Ron Rivera commented on this earlier in the week, saying that he has seen the rest of the team, particularly the older players, start to feed off of the rookie’s energy, and it’s lifted the team as a whole. What’s even more encouraging than that is listening to what some of the veteran players have to say about the young guy. Take Alex Smith, or Ryan Kerrigan, for example — Young is unlike anything they’ve seen before.
Alex Smith on Chase Young being an emotional leader as a rookie: "It's crazy unusual. … genuine leadership … He continues to have a big impact beyond his play." https://t.co/GS8u4LFoOj
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) December 16, 2020
Think about the players who these quotes are coming from. Alex Smith is regarded as one of the most solid vets in the game, helping to contribute to both the careers of Patrick Mahomes and Colin Kaepernick. He’s been around the block, to say the least, and he’s seen almost every football situation you can think of. If he calls Young unique, you better believe him. And then there’s Kerrigan — the Iron Man in Washington. He’s played in D.C. for just under a decade, and it’s clear that he’s become the elder statesman on the defense, though the presence of Young has pushed his playing time down quite a bit. He has every reason to regard Chase as someone who is pushing him out of the league, but instead, he looks up to the rookie, viewing him as a leader of the team.
Fans can watch the games all they want, and follow along with practice reports, but when you hear some of the most established veterans in the game regarding a rookie with such class and confidence, it makes you turn your head. Chase Young is turning heads on and off the field just midway through his rookie season, and I don’t expect that to stop anytime soon.
