National Football League
Titans, Young to part ways
National Football League

Titans, Young to part ways

Published Jan. 5, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams has decided to part ways with quarterback Vince Young, the team announced Wednesday.

“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," Adams said in a statement.

“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."

Young responded to the development by saying he was disappointed.

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"I thank Bud Adams and Jeff Fisher for giving me a chance to win the Super Bowl," he told The Tennessean. "I tried my best, I really did.’’

Because of the decision, that should mean Fisher would remain as the head coach of the team for his 17th full season. However, a decision on his future hasn’t been made. Fisher has one year left on his contract.

“I also informed Jeff today that I was continuing the evaluation of the coaching staff and I am hoping to make a decision soon,” Adams said.

Adams is the owner who wanted Young drafted No. 3 overall out of Texas in 2006 and said on draft day that "VY is my guy." But with his general manager and senior executive vice president traveling to Houston to meet with Adams on Monday, the 88-year-old owner decided Young no longer is the quarterback for his franchise.

Young is 30-17 in his five NFL seasons, but only 13-14 against teams finishing a season at .500 or better. He's also battled questions over his work ethic, leadership and injuries.

"Everything was my fault," Young said of the way he was perceived. "But that’s over now. I wish Coach Fisher and Bud Adams and all my coaches and teammates best. "

Young suffered a season-ending thumb injury on his right hand Nov. 21, tossed his shoulder pads into the stands and told off Fisher in front of the locker room before storming out.

"I didn’t feel like (Fisher) trusted me," Young said. "In the five years I was there, I was always looking over my shoulder. 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. "

The quarterback will be hard to deal because of his contract.

Young , who has had major clashes with Fisher over the past few seasons, is due $8.5 million in base salary and a $4.25 million roster bonus next season.

“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, Reinfeldt said. “Under league rules, Vince’s contract cannot be terminated until Feb. 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."

The team will try to trade him, but it’s almost hard to believe another team would assume his contract.

“I will continue to keep working," Young told the newspaper. "Wherever I go I will be committed like I am committed to everything.’’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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